FEM MODELING ON SCRATCH BEHAVIOR OF MICRO-PATTERNED POLYMER SURFACE

Polymers are inherently scratch-sensitive due to their low resistance to deformation. Surface patterning is a viable strategy to achieve better scratch performance. In this paper, we model the scratch behavior of micro-patterned surfaces using FEM simulation by employing the powerful coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian approach. The effect of two different pattern types on the scratch behavior of polycarbonate was studied and validated with available experimental results. Results support the use of patterned surfaces in improving scratch performance.
EXTENDED ABSTRACT