Estimation and reduction of the adhesion forces between ionic polymer metal composite and micro-objects

Abstract

This paper presents the experimental method to evaluate the adhesion forces between micro-objects and IPMC, and describes methods to reduce them. Ionic Polymer Metal Composite (IPMC) can be a key material in low-mass, high-displacement, single-moving part actuators and shows great potential for micro-gripper applications. To design fingers for a micro-gripper using IPMC, the study of the adhesion force between IPMC and micro-objects is of critical importance. Glass micro-spheres of various sizes were attached to silicon nitride Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) tips, and the adhesion forces between the micro-spheres and the IPMC sample surface were found experimentally by an AFM. These experiments were performed in dry environment. Experiments were then performed under water to see the effect on reduction of adhesion forces. It was found that for a glass micro-sphere of size 32.43-μm the adhesion force decreases from 144 nN in air to 8.64 nN in water.