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MEMS-based shear characterization of soft hydrated samples.

Gadryn C Higgs1,2, Chelsey S Simmons1,2, Yingning Gao1

  • 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA 94305.

Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering : Structures, Devices, and Systems
|November 5, 2013
PubMed
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We developed new microscale actuators to measure the shear properties of soft materials, even in wet conditions. Our hydrophobic coating enhances device durability for biomaterials research.

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Biomaterials Engineering
  • Microscale Mechanics

Background:

  • Microscale characterization tools often fail in hydrated environments.
  • Electrostatic actuators are vulnerable to moisture.
  • Assessing soft material shear properties is crucial for biomaterials research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design and test novel actuators for microscale shear characterization of soft substrates.
  • To enhance the hydrophobicity of electrostatic actuators for hydrated applications.
  • To compare new characterization methods with existing techniques.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication and calibration of electrostatic comb-drive actuators.
  • Chemical vapor deposition of hexamethyldisiloxane to increase hydrophobicity.

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  • Shear stiffness determination for dry and hydrated silicone and polyethylene glycol samples.
  • Comparison with rheology and nanoindentation using computational and analytical models.

    • Main Results:

    • Achieved a water contact angle of 90 ± 3° for hydrophobic actuators.
    • Successfully determined effective shear stiffness for various soft substrates.
    • Validated the new method against established techniques for shear moduli from 5-320 kPa.

    Conclusions:

    • Introduced a novel, robust approach for microscale shear assessment of synthetic and biological materials.
    • Demonstrated the utility of hydrophobic electrostatic actuators in hydrated environments.
    • Provided a valuable tool for basic and applied biomaterials research.