Can deformation of a polymer film with a rigid coating model geophysical processes?
The structural and mechanical behavior of polymer films with a thin rigid coating is analyzed. The behavior of such systems under applied stress is accompanied by the formation of a regular wavy surface relief and by regular fragmentation of the coating. The above phenomena are shown to be universal. Both phenomena (stress-induced development of a regular wavy surface relief and regular fragmentation of the coating) are provided by the specific features of mechanical stress transfer from a compliant soft support to a rigid thin coating. The above phenomena are associated with a specific structure of the system, which is referred to as "a rigid coating on a soft substratum" system (RCSS). Surface microrelief in RCSS systems is similar to the ocean floor relief in the vicinity of mid-oceanic ridges. Thus, the complex system composed of a young oceanic crust and upper Earth's mantle may be considered as typically "a solid coating on a soft substratum" system. Specific features of the ocean floor relief are analyzed in terms of the approach advanced for the description of the structural mechanical behavior of polymer films with a rigid coating. This analysis allowed to estimate the strength of an ocean floor.
Volynskii
A L
AL
Faculty of Chemistry, Moscow State University, Leninskie gory, 119992 Moscow, Russia. volynskii@mail.ru
Bazhenov
S L
SL
D003198:Computer Simulation; D004548:Elasticity; D005844:Geology / Q000379:methods*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010825:Physics / Q000379:methods*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers