The adhesion of ice to a flexible substrate, polyurethane elastomer, has been studied using the Andrews-Stevenson test procedure which involves the pressurization to failure of an enclosed interfacial crack. The temperature, rate of pressurization and substrate layer thickness were varied and the failure energy (critical energy release rate) determined. If energy release from the flexible substrate is ignored an apparent failure energy is obtained which first increases and then decreases as the layer thickness rises from zero to 4 ram. This thickness effect results in a large variation in the pressure needed to produce failure, and is thus important in relation to the ice-release properties of the substrate. It is shown that the thickness effect can be explained quantitatively in terms of the energy release from the flexible substrate, which, in turn, depends on its visco-elastic properties. The true failure energy is derived and is also found to corre!ate with the visco-elastic response of the rubber. Finally, these ideas are used to explain the effects of rate and temperature on the conditions of failure.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.