• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.40 no.7
• /
• pp.673-677
• /
• 2016

Recently, engineering applications have started to adopt solutions inspired by nature. The peculiar adhesive properties of gecko skin are an example, as they allow the animal to move freely on vertical walls and even on ceilings. The high adhesive forces between gecko feet and walls are due to the hierarchical microscopical structure of the skin. In this study, the effect of metal coatings on the adhesive strength of synthetic, hierarchically structured, dry adhesives was investigated. Synthetic dry adhesives were fabricated using PDMS micro-molds prepared by photolithography. Metal coatings on synthetic dry adhesives were formed by plasma sputtering. Adhesive strength was measured by pure shear tests. The highest adhesion strengths were found with coatings composed of 4 nm thick layers of Indium, 8 nm thick layers of Zinc and 6 nm thick layers of Gold, respectively.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.15-22
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study is to develop a strain sensor based on a nanoweb by applying electrical conductivity to a polyurethane nanoweb through the use of Graphene. For this purpose, 1% Graphene ink was pour-coated on a polyurethane nanoweb and post-treated with PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) to complete a wearable strain sensor. The surface characteristics of the specimens were evaluated using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) to check whether the conductive material was well coated on the surface of the specimen. Electrical properties of the specimens were measured by using a multimeter to measure the linear resistance of the specimen and comparing how the line resistance changes when 5% and 10% of the specimens are tensioned, respectively. In order to evaluate the performance of the specimen, the gauge factor was obtained. The evaluation of the clothing was performed by attaching the completed strain sensor to the dummy and measuring the respiration signal according to the tension using MP150 (Biopac system Inc., USA) and Acqknowledge (ver. 4.2, Biopac system Inc., U.S.A.). As a result of the evaluation of the surface characteristics, it was confirmed that all the conductive nanoweb specimen were uniformly coated with the Graphen ink. As a result of measuring the resistance value according to the tensile strength, the specimen G, which was treated with just graphene had the lowest resistance value, the specimen G-H had the highest resistance value, and the change of the line resistance value of the specimen G and the specimen G-H is increased to 5% It is found that it increases steadily. Unlike the resistance value results, specimen G showed a higher gauge rate than specimen G-H. As a result of evaluation of the actual clothes, the strain sensor made using the specimen G-H measured the stable peak value and obtained a signal of good quality. Therefore, we confirmed that the polyurethane nanoweb treated with Graphene ink plays a role as a breathing sensor.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.71-76
• /
• 2012

Biofouling by marine organisms such as algae and barnacles causes lots of significant problems in marine systems such as a rise of the maintenance-repair cost for the ship and the marine structures. In this work, a fluoropolymer, perfluoropolyether (PFPE), was applied as an anti-biofouling coating material that prevents the adhesion of marine organisms and facilitates the removal of them. Water contact angles of various surfaces were tested to examine the hydrophobicity of the PFPE-modified surface. The PFPE-modified surface showed the water contact angle of $64.5^{\circ}$ which is a remarkable rise from $46.7^{\circ}$ of amine-treated surface. When the substrate was treated with PFPE, the adhesion on the of the barnacle and other marine organisms were repressed around 15% by the enhanced hydrophobicity. In addition, the removal the of the adhered marine organisms were better comparing to that of the surface prepared by PDMS. Surfaces of the substrate treated by PFPE were characterized through physical and chemical methods to analyze the biofouling results. Degree of biomolecular adhesion to the substrate was quantified by the measurement the fluorescence intensity of marine organisms dyed with green fluorescence. PFPE is expected to be applicable not only to anti-biofouling systems but also to medical devices where the prevention of protein adhesion is required.