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- ItemBending as Key Mechanism in the Tactile Perception of Fibrillar Surfaces(Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Gedsun, Angelika; Sahli, Riad; Meng, Xing; Hensel, René; Bennewitz, RolandThe touching of fibrillar surfaces elicits a broad range of affective reactions, which range from the adverse stinginess of a stiff bristle brush to the pleasant feel of velvet. To study the tactile perception of model fibrillar surfaces, a unique set of samples carrying dense, regular arrays of cylindrical microfibrils with high aspect ratio made from different elastomer materials have been created. Fibril length and material compliance are varied independently such that their respective influence on tactile perception can be elucidated. This work finds that the tactile perception of similarity between samples is dominated by bending of the fibrils under sliding touch. The results demonstrate that variations of material stiffness and of surface structure are not necessarily perceived independently by touch. In the case of fibrillar elastomer surfaces, it is rather the ratio of fibril length and storage modulus which determines fibril bending and becomes the dominant tactile dimension. Visual access to the sample during tactile exploration improves the tactile perception of fibril bendability. Experiments with colored samples show a distraction by color in participants’ decisions regarding tactile similarity only for yellow samples of outstanding brightness.
- ItemSelf-Adhesive Silicone Microstructures for the Treatment of Tympanic Membrane Perforations(Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Lana, Gabriela Moreira; Sorg, Katharina; Wenzel, Gentiana Ioana; Hecker, Dietmar; Hensel, René; Schick, Bernhard; Kruttwig, Klaus; Arzt, EduardInspired by the gecko foot, polymeric microstructures have demonstrated reliable dry adhesion to both stiff objects and sensitive surfaces such as skin. Microstructured silicone patches are proposed, herein, for the treatment of tympanic membrane perforations with the aim of serving as an alternative for current surgical procedures that require anesthesia and ear canal packing. Sylgard 184 PDMS micropillars of 20 μm in diameter and 60 μm in length are topped by a Soft Skin Adhesive (SSA) MG7-1010 terminal layer, of about 25 μm thickness. The adhesion is evaluated by specially designed tack tests against explanted murine eardrums and, for comparison, against a rigid substrate. Functional effects are evaluated using auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE). The adhesion strength of the microstructure and unstructured controls to explanted murine tympanic membranes is comparable (typically 12 kPa), but the microstructured patches are easier to handle by the surgeon. For the first time, partial recovery of hearing performance is measured immediately after patch application. The novel patches adhere without the need for further fixation, removing the need for ear canal packing. The proposed material design holds great promise for improving clinical treatments of tympanic membrane perforations.
- ItemSwitchable Underwater Adhesion by Deformable Cupped Microstructures(Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2020) Wang, Yue; Kang, Victor; Federle, Walter; Arzt, Eduard; Hensel, RenéSwitchable underwater adhesion can be useful for numerous applications, but is extremely challenging due to the presence of water at the contact interface. Here, deformable cupped microstructures (diameter typically 100 µm, rim thickness 5 µm) are reported that can switch between high (≈1 MPa) and low (<0.2 MPa) adhesion strength by adjusting the retraction velocity from 100 to 0.1 µm s–1. The velocity at which the switch occurs is determined by specific design parameters of the cupped microstructure, such as the cup width and angle. The results are compared with theoretical estimates of water penetration into the contact zone and expansion of the cup during retraction. This work paves the way for controlling wet adhesion on demand and may inspire further applications in smart adhesives.
- ItemTuning the Release Force of Microfibrillar Adhesives by Geometric Design(Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2022) Barnefske, Lena; Rundel, Fabian; Moh, Karsten; Hensel, René; Zhang, Xuan; Arzt, EduardSwitchable micropatterned adhesives exhibit high potential as novel resource-efficient grippers in future pick-and-place systems. In contrast with the adhesion acting during the “pick” phase, the release during the “place” phase has received little research attention so far. For objects smaller than typically 1 mm, release may become difficult as gravitational and inertial forces are no longer sufficient to allow shedding of the object. A compressive overload can initiate release by elastic buckling of the fibrils, but the switching ratio (ratio between high and low adhesion force) is typically only 2–3. In this work, new microfibrillar designs are reported exhibiting directional buckling with high switching ratios in the order of 20. Their functionality is illustrated by in situ optical observation of the contact signatures. Such micropatterns can enable the successful release of small objects with high placement accuracy.
- ItemSliding Mechanism for Release of Superlight Objects from Micropatterned Adhesives(Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2022) Wang, Yue; Zhang, Xuan; Hensel, René; Arzt, EduardRobotic handling and transfer printing of micrometer-sized superlight objects is a crucial technology in industrial fabrication. In contrast to the precise gripping with micropatterned adhesives, the reliable release of superlight objects with negligible weight is a great challenge. Slanted deformable polymer microstructures, with typical pillar cross-section 150 µm × 50 µm, are introduced with various tilt angles that enable a reduction of adhesion by a switching ratio of up to 500. The experiments demonstrate that the release from a smooth surface involves sliding of the contact during compression and subsequent peeling of the object during retraction. The handling of a 0.5 mg perfluorinated polymer micro-object with high accuracy in repeated pick-and-place cycles is demonstrated. Based on beam theory, the forces and moments acting at the tip of the microstructure are analyzed. As a result, an expression for the pull-off force is proposed as a function of the sliding distance and a guide to an optimized design for these release structures is provided.
- ItemBioinspired Underwater Adhesion to Rough Substrates by Cavity Collapse of Cupped Microstructures(Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Wang, Yue; Hensel, RenéUnderwater or wet adhesion is highly desirable for numerous applications but is counteracted by the liquids in the contact which weaken intermolecular attraction. The problem is exacerbated in conjunction with surface roughness when liquids partially remain in grooves or dimples of the substrate. In the present study, a cupped microstructure with a cavity inspired by suction organs of aquatic animals is proposed. The microstructures (cup radius of 100 µm) are made from polyurethane using two-photon lithography followed by replica molding. Adhesion to rough substrates is emulated experimentally by a micropatterned model substrate with varying channel widths. Pull-off stresses are found to be about 200 kPa, i.e., twice atmospheric pressure. Evaluation of force–displacement curves together with in situ observations reveal the adhesion mechanism, which involves adaptation to surface roughness and an elastic force induced by the collapse of the cavity that holds sealed contact with the substrate during retraction. This new microarchitecture may pave the way for next generation microstructures applicable to real, rough surfaces under wet conditions.