Abstract
As per sequential studies on new types of soft rubber for the artificial skin of robots, smart sensors, etc., we have proposed and investigated hybrid skin (H-Skin) and haptic sensors by using magnetic compound fluid (MCF), compounding natural rubber latex (NR-latex), and applying electric and magnetic fields. Through electrolytic polymerization, the MCF rubber is solidified. The MCF rubber has hybrid sensing functions and photovoltaic effects, and electric charge as battery. In case of the production of soft rubber sensors, however, the problem of adhesion between metal electrodes and rubber is very important. In the present study, we propose a novel adhesive technique for bonding the metal electrodes and MCF rubber by using metallic or non-metallic hydrous oxide, which is a metal complex, via electrolytic polymerization. The anionic radical hydrate reacts with the isoprene molecules of NR-latex or chloroprene rubber latex (CR-latex) such that they are cross-linked and the MCF rubber with the hydrate is solidified, which can be represented via a chemical reaction equation. By means of this adhesive technique, we presented five cases of sensors fabricated using metal electrodes and rubbers. This technique is applicable for novel cohesion between rubber and metal.
Highlights
We conducted sequential studies that led to the novel method of production of sensors made from soft rubber that was developed for artificial skin, which is expected to be required as a substitute for human or robot skin, such as hybrid skin (H-skin) [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
To produce a sensor with electrodes, we proposed a novel adhesive technique with the use of rubber with C=C bonds, such as magnetic compound fluid (MCF) rubber, NR-latex, and chloroprene rubber (CR)-latex compounded with a hydrate by electrolytic polymerization under a magnetic field
The metal that can be adhered on the MCF rubber with the hydrate is stainless steel, iron, and lead, but those that cannot be adhered are aluminum, titanium, nickel, zinc, brass, and copper
Summary
We conducted sequential studies that led to the novel method of production of sensors made from soft rubber that was developed for artificial skin, which is expected to be required as a substitute for human or robot skin, such as hybrid skin (H-skin) [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. Rubbers with C=C bonds, such as natural rubber latex (NR-latex), are capable of cross-linking molecules adequately to be solidified in themselves This novel solidification method is different from the usual vulcanization technique where sulfur is used at the field for the ordinary production of solid rubber. As diene-based rubbers involving isoprene rubber (IR), chloroprene rubber (CR), butadiene rubber (BR), nitrile rubber (NBR) or styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) have C=C bonds, they can be electrolytically polymerized Their Mooney viscosity must be so small such that they may be compounded into the MCF by adjusting the concentration of the rubber molecules. We propose a novel method for adhesion between the electrodes and MCF rubber by using metallic or non-metallic hydrous oxide. We investigate the mechanism of the adhesion and show the fabrication of the sensor using MCF rubber and metal electrodes
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