Reversible adhesion in multi-ferroic medium: Effects of shear and field potentials

Adhesive contact phenomena in multi-ferroic composites are crucial for the development of advanced technologies in fields such as aerospace, robotics, and bioengineering, where the integration of mechanical and electro-magnetic properties plays a pivotal role. Understanding how various loading conditions, particularly shear load, affect adhesive behavior is essential for designing systems that require robust and efficient bonding. This study investigates the adhesive response of a magneto-electro-elastic half-space under shear load from a flat-ended elliptical punch. Using local and global energy balances, we derive both lower- and upper-bound pull-off forces, with the lower-bound pull-off force representing the pulling force corresponding to the onset of detachment. Results highlight that adhesion strength is enhanced by the contact area, electric, and magnetic potentials, while shear load reduces it and shifts initial detachment from an edge of the major axis to that of the minor axis. As the shear load increases, designs incorporating critical elliptical eccentricity markedly enhance the lower-bound pull-off force in the absence of electric and magnetic potentials. Additionally, electric and magnetic potentials mitigate shape dependency, offering insights for tailoring adhesive properties. This work advances the understanding of magneto-electric effects, supporting optimized multi-ferroic composite designs for complex loading environments.