Abstract
High slip-resistant footwear outsoles can reduce the risk of slip and fall on wet and icy surfaces. Falls on wet and icy surfaces can cause serious life-threatening injuries, especially for older adults. Here we show that footwear outsoles using the rubbers filled with activated carbon or sodium chloride produce higher friction force and reduce the slip rate in walking. We have identified that small depressions were formed on outsole materials filled with activated carbon or sodium chloride during friction between the rubber and surface leading to some air ingress into the interface. While there are air bubbles between the rubber and surface, real contacts are surrounded by water with negative pressure (Laplace pressure). It is considered that the negative pressure promotes real contact formation, which causes high friction. We consider that the outsole materials filled with activated carbon or sodium chloride can reduce the risk of slip-and-fall accidents.
Highlights
Slip-and-fall accidents can be a risk factor for serious injuries in daily life[1]
When the diameter of pores on hydrophobic material is less than 10–100 μm, water cannot penetrate into the p ores[12]; non-uniform wetting can be achieved with the existing air pockets on the rubber surface
activated carbon (AC) is one of the carbon-based porous materials and some pores are expected to form on the rubber outsole surface with the addition of AC; since the water-soluble sodium chloride (SC) on the rubber surface can be removed by exposing it to water, air pockets form on the rubber surface
Summary
Slip-and-fall accidents can be a risk factor for serious injuries in daily life[1] This risk can be reduced by improving slip-resistant outsoles on slippery floors such as wet smooth floors[2]. When the diameter of pores on hydrophobic material is less than 10–100 μm, water cannot penetrate into the p ores[12]; non-uniform wetting can be achieved with the existing air pockets (small pores) on the rubber surface. With AC has not been reported, On the other hand, SC has not reinforcing effect and the friction behaviour of rubber with SC has not been reported; this study aims to develop the slip resistance of outsole rubber materials filled with AC or SC and to clarify real contact formation and friction behaviour between these rubbers and floors. The friction test using rubber hemispheres and outsoles, and slip-resistance test using outsoles in stepping motion was conducted
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