Composite Adhesion Layer for Hydrogel-Elastomer Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Soft pneumatic robots face challenges in developing robust sensors due to poor adhesion between hydrogels and elastomers, which are dissimilar materials, leading to inadequate mechanical and electrical properties under large strain and potential biocompatibility issues.
Innovation Solution
A composite material is created with a coating layer of adhesion polymer chains interwoven with crosslinked polymer chains, allowing for strong adhesion between hydrogels and elastomers through bonds formed by first and second bond-forming units, enabling the use of hydrogels as sensors for soft robots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydrogels and elastomers are directly combined to create sensors for soft pneumatic robots, then the sensor can be integrated into the robot structure, but the adhesion between the dissimilar materials is poor leading to inadequate mechanical and electrical properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system consisting of three distinct components: a first material (hydrogel or elastomer), a coating layer (adhesion polymer chains), and a second material (elastomer or hydrogel). This composite structure resolves the adhesion problem by introducing an intermediate layer that is chemically compatible with both dissimilar materials, enabling strong bonding while maintaining the individual properties of each material component.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating layer of adhesion polymer chains serves as an intermediary between the first material and the second material. This intermediate layer contains bond-forming units that can chemically bond to both the first material (through interweaving with crosslinked polymer chains) and the second material, thereby mediating the adhesion between dissimilar materials and resolving the poor bonding issue.
2Reliability
If a coating layer with adhesion polymer chains is introduced between the first material and second material, then adhesion between dissimilar materials is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The coating layer is applied locally only where adhesion is needed - specifically on the surface of the first material that contacts the second material. This localized approach provides the necessary adhesion function without requiring the entire device structure to be complex, maintaining simplicity in non-critical areas while enhancing performance at the interface.
3Reliability
If adhesion polymer chains are interwoven with crosslinked polymer chains, then adhesion energy exceeds internal bonding energy, but the manufacturing process becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The first material is prepared in advance with crosslinked polymer chains in a controlled state before the coating layer is applied. This preliminary preparation ensures that the surface structure is optimized for subsequent interweaving with adhesion polymer chains, facilitating the formation of strong bonds during the coating process without requiring complex manufacturing steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides stable and tunable mechanical and electrical properties for hydrogel sensors, allowing them to maintain performance under large strain and cyclic loading, with adhesion energies exceeding internal bonding energies, enabling effective strain sensing in soft robots.
Implementation Method 1
the adhesion polymer chains are interwoven with the crosslinked first polymer chains
Implementation Method 2
the first bond-forming units and the second bond-forming units form one or more bonds
Data Source
AI summary
A composite material is disclosed including: a first material including a plurality of crosslinked first polymer chains including a plurality of first polymer monomeric units; a coating layer on the surface of the first material, wherein the coating layer includes a plurality of adhesion polymer chains, wherein the plurality of adhesion polymer chains includes a plurality of the first polymer monomeric units and a plurality of first bond-forming units, wherein the adhesion polymer chains are interwoven with the first polymer chains; and a second material including a plurality of second polymer chains, wherein the coating layer is disposed in-between the first and the second material and contacting the surface of the first and the second material, and a portion of the second polymer chains includes a plurality of second polymer monomeric units and second bond-forming units; wherein the first and the second bond-forming units form one or more bonds.