Influence of the tabor parameter on the adhesive normal impact of spheres in Maugis-Dugdale approximation

We study the influence of the adhesive interaction range on the coefficient of restitution in the normal impact of spheres by analytical and semi-analytical means based on a Maugis–Dugdale model for the adhesive stress. It is found, that—depending on the value of the Tabor parameter—the impact may start and end with and without direct contact between the surfaces. The hysteretic loss of energy takes its maximum value in the JKR-limit, which for even quite large values of the Tabor parameter noticeably overestimates this loss. Our findings can be applied for the rigorous study of adhesive collisions of elastic particles with and without friction