Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-mwx4w Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-26T14:58:25.644Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Technique to Measure Adhesive Forces Between Electrospun Nanofibers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Qiang Shi
Affiliation:
stoneshi_q@yahoo.com.cn, University of Akron, Mechanical Engineering, Akron, Ohio, United States
Kai-Tak Wan
Affiliation:
ktwan@coe.neu.edu, Northeastern University, Mechanical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Shing-Chung Wong
Affiliation:
swong@uakron.edu, University of Akron, Mechanical Engineering, Akron, Ohio, United States
Pei Chen
Affiliation:
pc27@uakron.edu, University of Akron, Mechanical Engineering, Akron, Ohio, United States
Todd A. Blackledge
Affiliation:
tab@uakron.edu, University of Akron, Mechanical Engineering, Akron, Ohio, United States
Get access

Abstract

Due to the difficulty in handling nanofibers, little is reported and understood on the dry adhesion between electrospun nanofibers. In this study, we develop a technique to measure the dry adhesive forces between electrospun nanofibers. Of critical importance is the ability to mimic naturally occurring dry adhesion such as that between gecko's and spider's foot hairs and untreated surfaces. The adhesion test was performed on two poly(e-caprolactone) electrospun ultrafine fibers using a nanoforce tensile tester. It was found that the adhesive force per unit area increased with decreasing fiber diameter. The degree of crystallinity, order parameters of macromolecules in the amorphous region and crystallite orientation of the spun fibers were determined by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The high measured adhesion between single PCL fibers in comparison to other reported values was attributed to crystal orientation due to electrospinning and the increase of adhesive force per unit area with decreasing fiber diameter.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Maderson, P.F.A. Nature 203, 780 (1964).Google Scholar
2 Autumn, K. Liang, Y.A. Hsieh, S.T. Zesch, W. Chan, W.P. Kenny, W.T. Fearing, R. and Full, R. J. Nature 405, 681 (2000).Google Scholar
3 Dezenis, Y. Science 304, 1917 (2004).Google Scholar
4 Bittiger, H. Marchessault, R.H. and Niegisch, W.D. Acta. Crystllogr. B26, 1923 (1970).Google Scholar
5 Arinstein, A. Burman, M. Gendelman, O. and Zussman, E. Nature Nanotech. 2, 59 (2007).Google Scholar
6 Johnson, K.L. Kendall, K. and Roverts, A.D., Proc. R. Soc. London A324, 301 (1971).Google Scholar
7 Kendall, K. Science 263, 1720 (1994).Google Scholar