Speaker: Lauren White, Kansas State University

Title: Frictionless nanoscale indentation of a rigid stamp into a half-space

Abstract: Material properties at nanoscale exhibit size-dependent behavior which can be attributed to the influence of surfaces and interfaces on the properties of materials. Due to this, contact problems at nanoscale have to take into account surface energy. In this talk, we consider an isotropic half-space subjected to nanoscale contact with a rigid punch. The model used to describe the surface and bulk of the material, methods used that are common in Potential Theory, a route to finding a solution, and a numerical method of solution using Gauss-Chebyshev quadrature will be presented. The presentation will be accessible to anyone who knows what differential equations and integrals are.