title: Leak rate of seals: Effective-medium theory and comparison with experiment.
abstract: Seals are extremely useful devices to prevent fluid leakage. We present an effective-medium theory of the leak rate of rubber seals, which is based on a recently developed contact mechanics theory. We compare the theory with experimental results for seals consisting of silicon rubber in contact with sandpaper and sand-blasted PMMA surfaces.
authors.affiliation: IFF, FZ Jülich, D-52425, Jülich, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: B N J
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Persson
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D012408:Rubber / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D012408:Rubber; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate