Manipulation of large-area objects using micro-liquid capillary force based on the pattern of hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20981
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 20:Mechanical dynamics, robotics, and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Saito Shigeki 東京工業大学, 環境・社会理工学院, 教授 (30313349)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 田岡 祐樹 東京工業大学, 環境・社会理工学院, 助教 (50845766)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 液架橋力 / マイクロ・ナノメカトロニクス / 生産技術

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Inspired by the phenomenon that "a glass slide on a preparatory plate cannot be pulled off vertically," this study developed a "liquid capillary manipulation" technique that enables the flexible grasping and releasing of an object by capillary force by coating the probe surface with two different hydrophilic materials. Specifically, two types of probes were created: one coated with hydrophilic material on the inside and hydrophobic material on the outside of the probe surface, and the other coated with hydrophobic material on the inside and hydrophilic material on the outside, with the aim of controlling the magnitude of liquid cappilary force by controlling the amount of droplets. This research has laid the foundation for establishing a technical system for manipulating objects using liquid cappilary force.

Free Research Field

微細作業工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

液架橋力に基づく物体マニピュレーションは、物体操作が不可欠な生産技術分野において、次世代の物体操作技術の基盤になる可能性がある。特に対象物に一様な応力を発生させながら物体操作できるため、次世代情報技術デバイスの生産に役立つ潜在的な可能性がある。研究成果を社会に実装することで、次世代生産技術に大きく貢献する可能性がある。