Novel Adhesion Technique Using Metallic or Non-Metallic Hydrous Oxide of Metal Complexes Involving Magnetic Compound Fluid Rubber under Electrolytic Polymerization and Magnetic Field for Producing Sensors

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 19; no. 3; p. 689
• Main Authors: Shimada, Kunio, Kikura, Hiroshige, Takahashi, Hideharu, Ikeda, Ryo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI 08.02.2019; MDPI AG
• Subjects: adhesion; artificial skin; chloroprene rubber; electrolytic polymerization; magnetic cluster; magnetic compound fluid (MCF); magnetic field; metal complex; metallic hydrous oxide; natural rubber; non-metallic hydrous oxide; robot; sensing; natural rubber; sensing; magnetic field; non-metallic hydrous oxide; adhesion; magnetic cluster; electrolytic polymerization; magnetic compound fluid (MCF); robot; artificial skin; metal complex; chloroprene rubber; metallic hydrous oxide
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s19030689

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.