Forschungszentrum Jülich, Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI-1), 52425 Jülich, Germany.; State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000 Lanzhou, China.; MultiscaleConsulting, Wolfshovener Strasse 2, 52428 Jülich, Germany.
B N J Persson primarily investigates how different materials interact under pressure and movement. This includes studying how rough surfaces affect friction and wear, especially focusing on rubber's performance in applications like tires and other everyday products. They also explore how environmental factors, such as temperature and lubrication, influence the reliability and effectiveness of materials. Their work is insightful for engineers and designers who need to create safer and more efficient products, from vehicle tires to construction materials.
Key findings
In granite sliding experiments, adding water reduced wear by a factor of ten, although it had minimal impact on friction levels.
Research on friction dynamics revealed that the fluctuations in movement of materials follow specific patterns, which can significantly influence design in tire and machinery applications.
A new model for evaluating psychological flexibility found that many previously reported connections were weaker than believed, suggesting the need for updated methods in assessing mental health.
During experiments on rubber wear, researchers discovered that the amount of rubber worn increased with heavier pressure, while speed had no effect.
Observations from crack propagation studies indicated that adhesive cracks in rubber are particularly sensitive to changes in temperature and crack speed.
Frequently asked questions
Does Dr. B N J Persson study rubber and tire performance?
Yes, Dr. Persson conducts extensive research on rubber materials, especially focusing on how different conditions affect tire performance and wear.
What industries benefit from Dr. Persson's research?
Industries such as construction, rubber manufacturing, and earthquake science benefit significantly from Dr. Persson's findings.
Is Dr. Persson's work relevant to engineers?
Absolutely. Engineers in various fields rely on Dr. Persson's insights to improve material design and performance under stress.
What specific factors does Dr. Persson's research examine in friction?
Dr. Persson's research examines factors such as surface roughness, temperature, and the presence of lubricants to understand their effects on friction and material wear.
How does Dr. Persson's work relate to mental health?
Dr. Persson has studied psychological flexibility, helping improve understanding and assessment of mental health factors.
Publications in plain English
Multiscale contact mechanics for elastoplastic contacts.
2026
Physical review. E
Almqvist A, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study examined how rough surfaces press together and deform when they come into contact. Researchers used a computer model to simulate this process and found that their predictions about the area that makes contact, both when the material stretches and when it gets permanently deformed, matched well with real data. This is important because it confirms that the theory they used is reliable for understanding how materials behave under pressure, which can help in various engineering applications.
Who this helps: This benefits engineers and manufacturers dealing with materials in construction and machinery.
Multiverse analyses can be used to evaluate cross-lagged panel network models: An example with psychological flexibility.
2026
Acta psychologica
Sorjonen K, Melin B, Melin M, Persson BN
Plain English This study looked at how different models can be used to evaluate connections between psychological flexibility (the ability to adapt to change) and inflexibility (the inability to adapt). Researchers found that when using their new method, many of the connections reported in previous research were not as strong or reliable as initially thought. This matters because it helps improve how we understand and measure mental health factors, leading to better treatment approaches.
Who this helps: This helps patients and mental health professionals who rely on accurate assessments for therapy and interventions.
Granite sliding on granite: friction, wear rates, surface topography, and the scale-dependence of rate-state effects.
2026
Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)
Sukhomlinov SV, Müser MH, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how two granite surfaces slide against each other, which helps us understand earthquakes. Researchers found that when granite surfaces come into contact, the friction is high due to a process called cold welding, rather than the wear and tear from the surfaces grinding together. They discovered that adding water can reduce wear significantly by a factor of ten, but it does not change the friction much, and changes in temperature or speed don't affect friction at all.
Who this helps: This research benefits earthquake scientists and engineers working to predict and mitigate seismic risks.
Plain English This research studied how rough surfaces interact and change when they are compressed, especially when they deform permanently. The study found that using a specific method to calculate the separation between these surfaces gave accurate results, showing this method's effectiveness in predicting changes during heavy stress. This is important because understanding how materials behave under pressure can help improve designs in industries like construction and manufacturing.
Who this helps: This helps engineers and designers in industries that rely on material performance under stress.
Plain English This study looked at how different conditions affect the wear of tire rubber when it rubs against concrete. They found that the amount of rubber worn off increased with heavier pressure, while the speed of sliding didn't change the wear rate. When the rubber slid on wet surfaces or soapy water, it wore down much less than on dry surfaces, which is important for tire durability and safety.
Who this helps: This helps tire manufacturers and drivers by improving tire design and performance.
Plain English This study looked at how the initial friction force, known as "breakloose friction," works in different types of rubber used in tires. Researchers found that when sliding speeds are low, friction can peak and then drop quickly, which leads to breakloose friction being higher than regular kinetic friction. For example, the tire rubber tested showed very different levels of breakloose friction depending on the material used, revealing important insights for tire performance.
Who this helps: This helps tire manufacturers and drivers by improving tire design and traction.
Contact mechanics for layered materials: Rubber film on hard substrate.
2025
The Journal of chemical physics
Persson BNJ
Plain English This study examines how a soft rubber layer interacts with a hard surface beneath it, especially when both surfaces are rough. The researchers found that when the rubber layer is thin and the roughness of the surfaces is certain types of patterns, contact can cause significant stress that may lead to wear or damage. Specifically, they noted that when the thickness of the rubber and the roughness patterns are in a specific range, the stresses on the surfaces can reach levels that could break their adhesive bond.
Who this helps: This helps engineers and manufacturers working with layered materials in products like tires and adhesives.
The Surface-Topography Challenge: A Multi-Laboratory Benchmark Study to Advance the Characterization of Topography.
2025
Tribology letters
Pradhan A, Müser MH, Miller N, Abdelnabe JP, Afferrante L +148 more
Plain English This study focused on how different surfaces—some rough and some smooth—are measured and described regarding their topography, or surface features. Researchers from around the world took over 2,000 measurements and found that when the size scale of the measurement wasn't considered, results varied widely, which shows that it's crucial to take scale into account for accurate assessment. These findings help establish better methods for accurately defining surface characteristics, which is important for many industries that depend on how surfaces interact, such as in manufacturing and materials science.
Who this helps: This helps engineers, scientists, and manufacturers improve product performance and durability.
Friction dynamics: displacement fluctuations during sliding friction.
2025
Soft matter
Xu R, Zhou F, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how rubber and plastic blocks slide on different surfaces and how their positions change as they move, specifically focusing on the "noise" in their movements. Researchers found that the fluctuations in movement followed specific patterns, described by power laws with values between 4 and 5, suggesting that wear and surface interactions play a significant role in sliding friction. Understanding these dynamics is important because it can help improve designs in various applications like tire performance and machinery efficiency.
Who this helps: This research benefits engineers and manufacturers looking to enhance material performance in real-world applications.
Item response theory modelling of the trait emotional intelligence questionnaire-short form: item streamlining, differential item functioning, and validity in a Swedish multicenter cross-sectional study.
2025
BMC psychology
Dåderman AM, Persson BN, Ahlstrand I, Hallgren J, Larsson I +8 more
Plain English This study looked at a shorter questionnaire for measuring emotional intelligence called the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF), which originally had 30 items. Researchers found that they could reduce the number of questions to just 12 without losing effectiveness, as the new version still closely matched the original with a correlation of 0.94. This is important because it creates a quicker, more efficient way to assess emotional intelligence, especially for use in various settings like healthcare and social work.
Who this helps: This helps students and professionals in healthcare and social work who need an efficient way to assess emotional intelligence.
Rubber friction: Theory, mechanisms, and challenges.
2025
The Journal of chemical physics
Persson BNJ, Xu R
Plain English This research paper looks at how rubber interacts with surfaces in terms of friction, which is important for everyday items like tires and shoes. The study found that various factors, such as temperature changes and the roughness of the surfaces rubber contacts, significantly affect how well rubber grips or slides. Understanding these details helps improve the design of rubber products, making them safer and more efficient.
Who this helps: Engineers and manufacturers of rubber products.
Role of strain softening and viscoelastic memory for the rolling friction of two tire tread compounds.
2024
The Journal of chemical physics
Miyashita N, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how rolling friction affects tires made from different rubber materials. Researchers found that when rubber is cooled, it becomes less flexible, causing changes in the surface that can increase or decrease rolling resistance. Specifically, they discovered that this "frozen-in" effect significantly alters how tires grip the road, especially when rolling uphill or downhill, which has implications for vehicle performance and safety.
Who this helps: This helps manufacturers and engineers improving tire design for better vehicle efficiency and safety.
Dry and lubricated sliding friction for rubber on concrete: the role of surface energies.
2024
Soft matter
Miyashita N, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how different lubricants, specifically water-glycerol mixtures, affect how rubber interacts with concrete surfaces. The researchers found that when rubber slides on concrete with lubricant at low speeds, the friction is similar to when it’s dry, but as the speed increases, the friction decreases rapidly. This matters because understanding the friction behavior can improve the performance of rubber in applications like tires.
Who this helps: This helps manufacturers of rubber products and engineers designing safer roads.
Influence of temperature and crack-tip speed on crack propagation in elastic solids.
2024
The Journal of chemical physics
Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how temperature and the speed at which cracks grow affect the way cracks spread in rubber-like materials. The researchers found that as the temperature decreases or the crack grows faster, the energy needed for the crack to continue growing increases. Specifically, they observed that adhesive cracks (where two materials stick together) are more sensitive to these changes than cohesive cracks (inside a single material). This research is important because it helps improve our understanding of how materials can fail, which is crucial for developing stronger, more reliable products.
Who this helps: This benefits engineers and manufacturers working with rubber-like materials.
Brownian friction dynamics: Fluctuations in sliding distance.
2024
Physical review. E
Xu R, Zhou F, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how sliding blocks move on various surfaces and how the position of these blocks changes due to fluctuations, or noise, when a constant force is applied. The researchers found that the movement patterns matched well with their computer simulations, confirming their understanding of how these fluctuations occur. This is important because it helps us understand the mechanics of friction and sliding motion, which can impact everything from machine performance to material design.
Who this helps: This benefits engineers and manufacturers who design products involving sliding surfaces.
Miyashita N, Yakini AE, Pyckhout-Hintzen W, Persson BNJ
Plain English The study looked at how different materials, like rubber, polyethylene, and silica glass, slide on ice at various temperatures and speeds. It found that rubber has consistent friction on ice across all temperatures tested, while polyethylene has a low friction coefficient of about 0.04-0.15, primarily affected by temperature near melting. These findings are important because they help us understand how different materials behave on icy surfaces, which can inform safety measures for winter driving.
Who this helps: This helps drivers and manufacturers of winter tires and other equipment that interacts with icy conditions.
Plain English This study looked at how ice slides on rough surfaces and what causes it to break loose when you try to move it. Researchers found that the force needed to start sliding ice depends on the roughness of the surface and the stored energy at the interface, and they noted that as temperatures drop, the mechanics of breaking loose change. Specifically, they found that at lower temperatures, it transitions from sliding to cracking, which helps us understand how ice interacts with surfaces better.
Who this helps: This helps researchers and engineers working on icy surfaces, like roads or runways.
A simple model for viscoelastic crack propagation.
2021
The European physical journal. E, Soft matter
Persson BNJ
Plain English This study examined how cracks grow in flexible materials, specifically looking at the energy involved as a crack expands or closes. The researchers found that their simple model for crack growth closely matched more complex theories, suggesting that energy loss due to cracking can happen far from the crack itself. Their experiments with a silica glass ball on silicone rubber helped demonstrate these findings, which could lead to better understanding and management of material failures.
Who this helps: This helps engineers and manufacturers improve the durability of flexible materials used in various products.
Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal
Persson BNJ
Plain English This study explores how electroadhesion, which is the ability of materials to stick to each other using electricity, works in layered materials that don't conduct electricity perfectly and have rough surfaces. The researchers developed a new theoretical model and provided numerical examples that demonstrate how these factors affect adhesion. Understanding this process is important because it can improve the design of devices that rely on electroadhesion, such as sensors and robotics.
Who this helps: This benefits engineers and researchers developing new adhesive technologies and devices.
Plain English This study looked at how face masks might not completely block particles from getting in or out due to leaks along the edges where the mask fits against the skin. Researchers found that when the filter in the mask is hard to breathe through, more air (and potentially harmful particles) escapes from the sides instead of going through the mask material. This matters because it means that even well-made masks may not provide the protection we think they do if they don't fit well or if they're too thick to breathe through.
Who this helps: This helps patients and healthcare workers who rely on masks for protection against airborne particles.
Lubricated sliding friction: Role of interfacial fluid slip and surface roughness.
2020
The European physical journal. E, Soft matter
Rotella C, Persson BNJ, Scaraggi M, Mangiagalli P
Plain English This study looked at how lubricated surfaces slide against each other, focusing on rubber stoppers in contact with glass barrels. It found that the friction between the rubber and the glass is very low and does not change much with speed, with shear stress around 0.1 MPa, while bare glass experiences higher and speed-dependent friction. Understanding these friction levels is important for improving the design and performance of mechanical systems involving lubricated contacts.
Who this helps: This helps engineers and manufacturers who work on products involving rubber and glass components.
Electric field effect in heat transfer in 2D devices.
2020
Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal
Volokitin AI, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how electric fields affect heat transfer between a 2D material, like graphene, and a surface underneath it. The researchers found that applying a gate voltage can change the way heat moves between these materials, leading to improved heat transfer efficiency. This could lead to better cooling systems in electronic devices, which is important for their performance and longevity.
Who this helps: This helps engineers and manufacturers of electronic devices.
Interfacial fluid flow for systems with anisotropic roughness.
2020
The European physical journal. E, Soft matter
Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how fluids flow between surfaces that have uneven textures. The researchers found that two different theories for predicting fluid flow gave similar results, showing that the fine details of surface roughness are not important for problems like leaks in seals. Specifically, they noted that fluid flow decreases significantly when the surfaces are in contact about 50% of the time.
Who this helps: This research benefits engineers and manufacturers working on seals and fluid systems.
Adhesion paradox: Why adhesion is usually not observed for macroscopic solids.
2020
Physical review. E
Tiwari A, Wang J, Persson BNJ
Plain English The study looked at why solid objects, like a human finger and a glass plate, don’t stick together as much as we might expect when they touch. Researchers found that the tiny imperfections on surfaces, called roughness, actually prevent adhesion, and in experiments, a dry finger showed no significant stickiness to clean glass. These findings are important because understanding how surfaces interact can help in designing better materials and products that rely on adhesion.
Who this helps: This helps engineers and designers working on products that require reliable adhesion.
Cylinder-flat-surface contact mechanics during sliding.
2020
Physical review. E
Wang J, Tiwari A, Persson BNJ, Sivebaek IM
Plain English This study looked at how the speed of sliding affects the friction between a cylinder with a wavy surface and a flat surface it's sliding on. The researchers found that when the surfaces are not perfectly aligned, the friction force changes erratically with speed, while with aligned surfaces, the friction remains steady and significantly higher—reaching about 0.1 MPa. This is important because it helps us understand how materials interact under different conditions, which is crucial for applications like rubber on glass where reliable performance is necessary.
Who this helps: This benefits engineers and manufacturers working with materials like rubber and glass.
Plain English This research looked at a popular personality test called the Short Dark Triad (SD3), which measures traits like manipulation (Machiavellianism), self-centeredness (narcissism), and callousness (psychopathy) in people. The study involved nearly 20,000 participants and found that while manipulation and callousness were closely linked, narcissism stood apart more distinctly. This matters because it shows that these traits behave differently and suggests that we should only use a single overall score for the SD3 instead of trying to break it into separate categories.
Who this helps: This helps psychologists and researchers who use personality tests in their work.
Searching for Machiavelli but finding psychopathy and narcissism.
2019
Personality disorders
Persson BN
Plain English This study looked at Machiavellianism, a personality trait linked to manipulation and cynicism, and compared it to traits like narcissism and psychopathy. Researchers analyzed responses from 591 people and found that what we commonly think of as Machiavellian traits mostly overlap with psychopathy and narcissism. This is important because it suggests that measuring Machiavellianism may not be as useful as previously thought, potentially affecting how we understand these personalities.
Who this helps: This benefits psychologists and mental health professionals looking to better understand and categorize personality traits.
Plain English This research focused on how touchscreens can provide a more realistic touch experience by manipulating the friction between a user's finger and the screen using electrostatic forces. The study found that increasing the voltage and adjusting other factors can significantly enhance the friction and tactile feedback experienced when touching the screen. For example, varying the voltage and other parameters can lead to a stronger feeling of texture, making interactions more engaging.
Who this helps: This benefits consumers using touchscreens in devices like smartphones and tablets.
Surface topography and water contact angle of sandblasted and thermally annealed glass surfaces.
2019
The Journal of chemical physics
Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how the roughness of sandblasted glass surfaces changes when they are heated at different temperatures. Researchers found that as the temperature increases, the roughness of the surfaces decreases, and the number of tiny cracks (micro-cracks) on the surface increases. This matters because these micro-cracks affect how water spreads on the glass, leading to unexpected behavior where water contact angles decrease with higher temperatures.
Who this helps: This helps manufacturers and researchers working with glass surfaces in various industries.
Electroadhesion for soft adhesive pads and robotics: theory and numerical results.
2019
Soft matter
Persson BNJ, Guo J
Plain English This study looked at how electroadhesion, a method that uses electrical forces, can improve the stickiness of soft adhesive pads used in robots. The researchers created a model to predict how different shapes and surface textures affect how strongly these pads can stick, finding that the right arrangement can maximize the sticking power. This work is important because it helps design better adhesive pads for robots, making them more effective at handling delicate tasks.
Who this helps: This helps robot developers and manufacturers.
Rolling friction of elastomers: role of strain softening.
2019
Soft matter
Tiwari A, Miyashita N, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how temperature and speed affect the rolling friction of rubber materials when steel and plastic cylinders roll over them. Researchers found that for filled rubber types, the rolling friction increased significantly—about twice as much for the filled fluoroelastomer and three times for the filled nitrile rubber compared to what theories predicted. This matters because understanding rolling friction can help improve the performance and durability of products that use these materials.
Who this helps: This benefits engineers and manufacturers developing rubber products in areas like automotive and machinery.
Plain English This study looked at how suction cups work when they stick to rough surfaces. The researchers found that the time it took for suction cups to detach matched their predictions, except when the surface was smooth (less than 1 micrometer roughness). They noticed that the materials used in the suction cups also made a big difference in how well they held on, suggesting that better designs could make suction cups more effective in different conditions.
Who this helps: This benefits manufacturers and designers of suction cups, ensuring better performance in various environments.
Validation of Subjective Well-Being Measures Using Item Response Theory.
2019
Frontiers in psychology
Nima AA, Cloninger KM, Persson BN, Sikström S, Garcia D
Plain English This study looked at how well different ways of measuring subjective well-being—like how happy people feel or how satisfied they are with life—actually work. Researchers gathered responses from 1,000 people using various scales, and found that while the measures overall showed good performance in capturing well-being, there were issues with reliability, especially for people at the extremes of happiness or unhappiness. For instance, some items were hard for respondents to agree with, like "I am in harmony," highlighting areas where improvements are needed in the questions asked.
Who this helps: This study benefits researchers and psychologists who want to improve how they measure people's well-being.
Contact mechanics for polydimethylsiloxane: from liquid to solid.
2018
Soft matter
Dorogin L, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how a material called polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) changes from a liquid to a solid and how this affects its ability to stick to objects, like a glass ball. Researchers found that for about the first 16 hours, PDMS was sticky but not bouncy, while after this point, it began to turn into a softer solid that could deform. It took over 100 hours for PDMS to fully solidify, showing a significant difference compared to PDMS made at higher temperatures.
Who this helps: This helps engineers and developers working with adhesives and soft materials in industries like manufacturing and healthcare.
The dependency of adhesion and friction on electrostatic attraction.
2018
The Journal of chemical physics
Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how electrostatic attraction affects the stickiness and resistance of two solid surfaces touching each other. It found that when there is an insulating layer between them, increasing the voltage causes a sudden rise in the area of contact and the friction experienced between the surfaces, especially when the contact pressure is low. This matters because it helps us understand how devices like touch screens work, improving their design and usability.
Who this helps: This helps manufacturers and designers of touchscreen devices.
Atomistic modeling of tribological properties of Pd and Al nanoparticles on a graphene surface.
2018
Beilstein journal of nanotechnology
Khomenko A, Zakharov M, Boyko D, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how friction works when tiny particles made of aluminum and palladium slide on a layer of graphene. Researchers found that the friction force increases almost directly with the contact area of the nanoparticles and varies with temperature, showing complex movement patterns in the particles. The findings are important because they help us understand the materials' behavior at a microscopic level, which can lead to better lubrication and material design in various industries.
Who this helps: This helps engineers and manufacturers developing new materials and coatings.
IRT analyses of the Swedish Dark Triad Dirty Dozen.
2018
Heliyon
Garcia D, Persson BN, Al Nima A, Brulin JG, Rapp-Ricciardi M +1 more
Plain English This study examined a Swedish version of a personality test that measures three negative traits: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Researchers surveyed 570 people and found that the narcissism traits were the most informative, while traits related to psychopathy required a stronger inclination to be identified. This is significant because it helps understand how these traits manifest in different cultures, which can improve assessments of personality traits across populations.
Who this helps: This benefits psychologists and mental health professionals assessing personality traits in diverse populations.
Rubber friction: The contribution from the area of real contact.
2018
The Journal of chemical physics
Tiwari A, Miyashita N, Espallargas N, Persson BNJ
Plain English This research studied how rubber interacts with rough surfaces when sliding, focusing on what contributes to friction. The findings showed that as the temperature rises above a certain point (the glass transition temperature), the influence of temperature on the rubber's ability to withstand shear stress (the force trying to slide it) is less than previously thought. Specifically, the effects of rubber's molecular movement at the surface play a significant role in reducing friction, particularly at higher speeds and temperatures.
Who this helps: This research helps engineers and manufacturers working with rubber materials in various applications, such as tires or industrial machinery.
Adhesion and friction between glass and rubber in the dry state and in water: role of contact hydrophobicity.
2018
Soft matter
Kawasaki S, Tada T, Persson BNJ
Plain English The study looked at how different types of tire rubber interact with a smooth glass surface both in water and dry environments. They found that two rubber types stuck to the glass when wet, while one type did not stick at all. This difference affects how tires grip the road, which is important for safety and performance in wet conditions.
Who this helps: This helps tire manufacturers and drivers.
Contact mechanics between the human finger and a touchscreen under electroadhesion.
2018
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Ayyildiz M, Scaraggi M, Sirin O, Basdogan C, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study examined how electroadhesion affects the friction between a human finger and a touchscreen. The researchers found that adding a small electric charge to the touchscreen increased the friction, improving how actively people could feel the screen. Specifically, they noted that using a thinner insulating layer on touchscreens could further boost this tactile feeling.
Who this helps: This helps device manufacturers and users by making touchscreens more responsive and easier to interact with.
Ice friction: Glacier sliding on hard randomly rough bed surface.
2018
The Journal of chemical physics
Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how glaciers slide over rough surfaces beneath them, focusing on the effect of melting and freezing ice, energy loss, and the formation of cavities beneath the ice. The researchers found that the friction between the ice and the surface matched real-life observations for temperate glaciers, providing a better understanding of how these massive ice bodies move. This research matters because it helps explain glacier dynamics, which can influence sea-level rise and climate change.
Who this helps: This helps climate scientists and policymakers by providing insights into glacier behavior and its impact on rising sea levels.
The effect of surface roughness and viscoelasticity on rubber adhesion.
2017
Soft matter
Tiwari A, Dorogin L, Bennett AI, Schulze KD, Sawyer WG +3 more
Plain English This study examined how the surface texture and flexibility of rubber materials affect their ability to stick to glass and acrylic surfaces. The researchers found that rough surfaces can increase adhesion for softer rubbers, while they decreased it for stiffer ones. They also noted that repeated contact reduced adhesion due to material transfer, and that water or soapy water significantly weakened the stickiness, particularly with silicone elastomers.
Who this helps: This research benefits manufacturers and engineers developing rubber products for various applications, such as adhesives and sealants.
Dorogin L, Tiwari A, Rotella C, Mangiagalli P, Persson BNJ
Plain English This study looked at how the roughness of surfaces and the amount of pressure applied affected how well certain materials stick together. Researchers found that when they increased the pressure, the materials stuck more effectively, leading to stronger adhesion. Specifically, they noted that the adhesion behavior changed significantly when the maximum force was applied, not aligning with existing theories.
Who this helps: This helps engineers and material scientists who design and use adhesives in various applications.
Simple contact mechanics model of the vertebrate cartilage.
2017
Soft matter
Persson BNJ, Kovalev A, Gorb SN
Plain English The study looked at how vertebrate cartilage behaves under pressure, using a model that accounts for fluid movement in the cartilage. Researchers found that as pressure is applied, most of the contact occurs in small areas that trap fluid, leading to a contact pressure that stays low, even when external pressure is increased. This is important because it means that cartilage can separate slightly without much friction, which could help us understand joint movement and health better.
Who this helps: This helps patients with joint issues and doctors treating them.
Rubber contact mechanics: adhesion, friction and leakage of seals.
2017
Soft matter
Tiwari A, Dorogin L, Tahir M, Stöckelhuber KW, Heinrich G +2 more
Plain English This study examined how well different types of rubber seals stick, resist sliding, and prevent leaks when used on glass surfaces. Researchers tested four types of rubber and found that NBR rubber worked best, showing strong adhesion and the highest friction, while EPDM and GECO did not adhere well in water. The findings are important because they help design better seals that reduce leaks in various applications, particularly where water is present.
Who this helps: This benefits engineers and manufacturers creating more effective sealing solutions for industrial applications.
Soft matter dynamics: Accelerated fluid squeeze-out during slip.
2016
The Journal of chemical physics
Hutt W, Persson BN
Plain English This study looked at how rubber blocks slide on smooth surfaces using different lubricants, focusing on how quickly lubricant is squeezed out during contact and sliding. Researchers found that when rubber blocks were stationary, the lubricant was slowly removed, but during sliding, it was removed much faster, causing the blocks to stop moving quickly, especially with grease; they typically stopped after sliding a distance only a few times the length of the rubber block. Conversely, when using a stiff material, the sliding actually sped up over time. This research is important because it reveals how lubricants behave under different conditions, which can help in designing better materials for various applications.
Who this helps: This helps engineers and manufacturers looking to improve the performance of rubber and other soft materials in practical applications.
The effect of surface nano-corrugation on the squeeze-out of molecular thin hydrocarbon films between curved surfaces with long range elasticity.
2016
Nanotechnology
Sivebaek IM, Persson BN
Plain English This study looked at how different types of lubricants, specifically long-chain hydrocarbons, behave when squeezed between two curved surfaces that are not perfectly smooth. The researchers found that as the length of the hydrocarbon chain increases, it takes a lot more pressure to squeeze out the lubricant, although it remains easier to remove than from smooth surfaces. For example, the shortest alkanes remained fluid-like, leading to a consistent low pressure during the squeeze-out process. This research matters because understanding how lubricants behave in these conditions can help improve the design of machines and devices where lubrication is critical, such as engines or bearings.
Who this helps: This helps engineers and manufacturers working on lubrication in mechanical systems.
Empathy and universal values explicated by the empathy-altruism hypothesis.
2016
The Journal of social psychology
Persson BN, Kajonius PJ
Plain English This study looked at how feelings of empathy are connected to values that care for others, like altruism, and values that focus on self-promotion. Researchers found that in a group of middle-aged Americans, higher emotional empathy linked to greater altruistic values and lower self-enhancing values, suggesting that the more you care about others, the less you focus on yourself. Specifically, emotional empathy explained up to 18% of the differences in altruistic values, showing that feelings are key in this relationship.
Who this helps: This benefits patients and communities by highlighting the importance of empathy in improving altruistic behaviors.
Contact mechanics for poroelastic, fluid-filled media, with application to cartilage.
2016
The Journal of chemical physics
Persson BN
Plain English This study looked at how fluid-filled cartilage behaves when it is pressed against a rough surface. The researchers found that as this cartilage is squeezed, the fluid can flow out, which helps to reduce damage and wear on the cartilage caused by tiny vacuum pockets that can form. Their results showed that fluid movement can prevent these issues, highlighting the importance of fluid flow in maintaining joint health.
Who this helps: This benefits patients with joint problems, particularly those with cartilage damage or arthritis.