Electroadhesion for soft adhesive pads and robotics: theory and numerical results

Abstract

Soft adhesive pads are needed for many robotics applications, and one approach is based on electroadhesion. Here we present a general analytic model and numerical results for electroadhesion for soft solids with arbitrary time-dependent applied voltage, and arbitrary dielectric response of the solids, and including surface roughness. We consider the simplest coplanar-plate-capacitor model with a periodic array of conducting strips located close to the surface of the adhesive pad, and discuss the optimum geometrical arrangement to obtain the maximal electroadhesion force. For surfaces with roughness the (non-contact) gap between the solids will strongly influence the electroadhesion, and we show how the electroadhesion force can be calculated using a contact mechanics theory for elastic solids. The theory and models we present can be used to optimize the design of adhesive pads for robotics application.

Low‐Voltage Reversible Electroadhesion of Ionoelastomer Junctions

“…roughness) on relevant size scale. [36][37][38] The applied load (P) and displacement (δ) are measured (Figure 2B) as the two perpendicularly crossed cylinders (with radius r = 10 mm, Figure S4) are brought together to generate contact between ES and AT layers at a constant speed of 0.05 mm/s, held at fixed displacement for 30 s to charge the ionoelastomers, and then separated with the same speed of 0.05 mm/s at fixed voltage (Figure S5). To measure the electrostatic force under steadystate conditions, we apply 30 s of charging time (Figure S6), which is longer than the RC time-scale for charging of the IDL (τ RC ≈ 60 ms) as well as the time-scale for stress-relaxation of the contact force (see Supporting Information for details).…”

Synergistic Voltaglue Adhesive Mechanisms with Alternating Electric Fields

“…window sealants), and medicine (e.g. tissue adhesives) are but a few industries that could benefit from electrocuring designs [5][6][7][8][9] . In addition, applications of Voltaglue could also be explored in the fields where PAMAM has been exploited such as-stimuli-responsive biomaterials, electrochemical sensors, conductive polymers, and controlled chemical releaseall applications that can benefit from voltage-activated adhesion [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] .…”

Relative importance of electrostatic and van der Waals forces in particle adhesion to rough conducting surfaces

“…In fact, increasing roughness has been used to intentionally minimize vdW adhesion [16,25,[27][28][29]. The role of surface roughness on electrostatic forces has been studied in the context of electroadhesion [30][31][32][33][34], where potentials are applied to the conducting surface creating an attractive electrostatic force, but we are not aware of studies examining the role of sur face roughness in particle adhesion to grounded conducting surfaces.…”