Interparticle forces and their effects in particulate systems

Particulate materials exhibit rich dynamic behaviour and have been studied extensively in the recent decades. Underpinning this behaviour are the interactions between particles, such as the contact forces and the long-range non-contact forces (e.g., van der Waals force, capillary force and electrostatic force). Understanding these interactions is the key to elucidating the particulate systems as well as designing and controlling the relevant processes. In this paper, we firstly review the recent advances in the basic interaction laws between particles obtained using numerical methods ranging from atomic to continuum scales. Then the effects of the friction and adhesion on particle packing, particle flow, mixing, fracture, and particle reinforcement in composites are discussed. Finally, we discuss the multidisciplinary work to be done in future.