Abstract:
Provided is a releasable adhesive system, for joining a first conductive surface and a second conductive surface. The releasable adhesive includes primary material and an embedded material. The primary material includes at least one molecule that is configured to be positioned parallel with at least one molecule of the first conductive surface or the second conductive surface. The embedded material is infused within or affixed to the primary material to form an adhesive structure. The releasable adhesive structure has a conductivity greater than a conductivity of the primary material alone. Also provided is a method for joining the first conductive surface to the second conductive surface using the adhesive structure.
Abstract:
A reversible bonded microfluidic structure comprises an overhanging cap or gasket structure atop a continuous microfluidic channel wall. An overhanging gasket structure may reduce stress concentrations at the edge of the channel wall and can permit improved reversible adhesion of the channel wall and adjacent dry adhesive fibers. In one example, reversible adhesion of the overhanging channel wall gasket and adjacent dry adhesive fibers may approach 1 MPa in axial loading. An overhanging gasket structure of the microfluidic channel wall may comprise a single “fiber” that is continuous around the perimeter of the desired microfluidic channel shape, and may define a self-sealing gasket which will contain fluid. The overhanging gasket structure may be surrounded by further overhanging or undercut dry adhesive fibers to enhance the adhesion and help make the rest of the surface more tolerant to defects and surface roughness.
Abstract:
A dry adhesive comprising a microporous and nanoporous surface, and a compliant surface having a hardness of about 60 Shore A or less, the microporous and nanoporous surface and the compliant surface being capable of forming upon contact a dry adhesive bond with each other, wherein the microporous and nanoporous surface has Ra between about 0.2-3.0 μm and Rsm between about 20-2,000 nm.
Abstract:
The invention is directed to carbon nanostructure composite systems which may be useful for various applications, including as dry adhesives, electronics and display technologies, or in a wide variety of other areas where organized nanostructures may be formed and integrated into a flexible substrate. The present invention provides systems and methods wherein organized nanotube structures or other nanostructures are embedded within polymers or other flexible materials to provide a flexible skin-like material, with the properties and characteristics of the nanotubes or other nanostructures exploited for use in various applications. In one aspect, the invention is directed to a carbon nanotube/polymer composite material having a plurality of carbon nanotubes formed into a predetermined architecture, with each of the plurality of nanotubes having a desired width and length. The architecture of the plurality of nanotubes defines at least one orientation for a plurality of nanotubes, and also defines the approximate spacing between nanotubes and/or groups of nanotubes. The carbon nanotube architecture is at least partially embedded with a polymer matrix in a manner that the architecture is stabilized in the predetermined architecture. The polymer matrix may also be formed to have a desired predetermined thickness.
Abstract:
A microstructure made of flexible material includes a plurality of projections extending from a common substrate. A distal end of each projection includes a resilient flap. All lateral dimensions of each of the projections increase monotonically with increased distance from a surface defined by distal ends of the flaps when the flaps are unbent. Each of the projections extends from the common substrate in a general direction that is locally substantially perpendicular to the surface defined by the ends of the flaps. When a shear force is applied to each of the flaps by relative motion between the flap and a cooperating surface in contact with the flap, the flap bends so as to increase the area of contact of that flap with the cooperating surface, affecting adhesion between the microstructure and the cooperating surface.
Abstract:
Geometric configurations for interlocking cap and fiber structures of interlocking dry adhesive materials are disclosed. Various methods for manufacturing interlocking dry adhesive materials including using a flexible negative mold and thermoplastic polymer dry adhesive material are disclosed. Various methods of manufacturing directly molded anisotropic interlocking dry adhesive structures using thermoplastic polymer dry adhesive materials are also provided.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a label conveyor belt including a carrier material. It is characterized in that a carrier material of the label conveyor belt has applied thereto a nano- or micro structured coating.
Abstract:
A dry adhesive comprising a micro-featured and nano-featured surface, and a compliant surface having a hardness of about 60 Shore A or less, the micro-featured and nano-featured surface and the compliant surface being capable of forming upon contact a dry adhesive bond with each other.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the invention includes a method of joining two substrates with multilayer thermo-reversible dry adhesives and separating the two bonded substrates by completely thermally reversing the adhesion via heating.
Abstract:
A fibrous columnar structure aggregate having excellent mechanical properties, heat resistance, a high specific surface area, excellent pressure-sensitive adhesive property under temperature conditions ranging from room temperature to a high temperature, and/or such pressure-sensitive adhesive property that the adhesive strength for adherents different from each other in surface free energy does not change. A pressure-sensitive adhesive member the fibrous columnar structure aggregates. A fibrous columnar structure aggregate (1) includes fibrous columnar structures having a plurality of diameters, in which: the fibrous columnar structures having a plurality of diameters include fibrous columnar structures each having a length of 500 μm or more; and the mode of the diameter distribution of the fibrous columnar structures having a plurality of diameters is present at 15 nm or less, and the relative frequency of the mode of the diameter distribution is 30% or more.