Measurement Method for Adhesion Forces between Polyvinyl Acetal Brushes and Flat Surfaces

Abstract

© The Author(s) 2019. The adhesion force between two materials is a key factor in surface cleaning. In this study, we developed a method for measuring adhesion forces between polyvinyl acetal (PVA) brushes and several test surfaces to understand the brushes’ adhesion characteristics. We utilized both the viscoelastic properties of PVA brushes and a high-response load cell to evaluate the adhesion forces of the compressed brushes on a flat surface. The results of the study showed that the adhesion forces increased with increased contact time and amount of compression. Some materials strongly interacted with the PVA brushes. We also observed that the measured adhesion forces were due to the existence of a skin layer on the brush surface. Moreover, we compared the adhesion forces with torques generated from rotating PVA brushes. However, the results did not correlate with the adhesion forces, which suggests that the force in the quasi-static state differs from that in the sliding condition.