Lab name: TriboDynamics Lab
Lab head: Prof. Antonio Papangelo
Department: Dipartimento di Meccanica Matematica e Management, Politecnico di Bari
e-mail: antonio.papangelo@poliba.it
mobile: +39 3803418061
Short description:
The TriboDynamics Lab aims at studying the adhesive properties of soft micro-structured interfaces subjected to variable loadings. Understanding the adhesive interactions between mechanical components is of fundamental importance in the development of miniaturized-interfaces, in the picking and manipulation of objects by robotics arms, in the field of human-robot interaction. Commonly, the design of bio-inspired adhesive surfaces has followed a quasi-static approach, ignoring the effects due to dynamic excitations (vibrations). However, recent experimental evidences have shown that micrometric vibrations with frequencies below 1 kHz are able to interact with macroscopic adhesive properties of soft contacts.
The TriboDynamics Lab was founded in 2022 thanks to the funds received by the ERC Starting Grant project “SURFACE”. At the TriboDynamics Lab we conduct both numerical and experimental research. Numerical techniques are used to simulate the contact of soft interfaces where viscoelasticity and adhesion have to be taken into account. To this end both commercial Finite Elements and ad-hoc Boundary Elements codes have been developed. The experimental part is supported by brand-new equipment for topography measurements, rapid prototyping, polymeric substrate micro-fabrication, 3D printing, plasma activation, adhesion test benches, shakers and a data acquisition system for dynamic loading. The major equipment is the microfabrication system “Photonic Professional GT2” by Nanoscribe, which, exploiting two-photon-polymerization, allows for micro-fabrication polymeric interfaces with extremely low resolution, down to 200 nanometres. Hence, the TriboDynamics Lab is capable to print interfaces with optimized topographies with minimal surface roughness. The Laboratory is equipped with the latest digital microscope by Keyence (VHX-7000) which allows sample visualization up to a 2500x magnification, automatic stitching and 2D and 3D reconstruction of the interface. Furthermore, 2D and 3D biocompatible and/or biodegradable scaffolds can be fabricated for bioengineering application. In December 2023 the TriboDynamics Lab has started working on the PRIN project “REPAIR”, together with the Department of Biotechnology of the University of Bari, which aims at the development of bio-compatible cell scaffolds for neurosensory retina-retinal pigment epithelial interface re-attachment.
The Tribodynamics Lab collaborates with several international research institutes and universities, in particular with: the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at La Sapienza (Rome, IT), the Laboratoire de Tribologie et Dynamique des Systèmes (LTDS – Lyon, FR), The Hamburg University of Technology (Hamburg, DE), the Berlin University of Technology (Berlin, DE), the Budapest University of Technology (Budapest, HU), the Department of Biotechnology of the University of Bari (Bari, IT).
It follows a list of the major equipment available:
- 3D microfabrication system based on two-photon-polymerization, resolution down to 200 nm, Photonic Professional GT2 (Nanoscribe)
- Digital microscopy 4K, up to 2500x magnification, Keyence VHX-7000N
- Data Acquisition System, Krypton Dewesoft
- High precision linear stage, PI
- High precision force sensor, Futek
- High precision accelerometer, Micro-Measurements
- Dynamic shaker up to 250 N max force, DynaLabs
- Total exhaust fume hood for polymer/solvent manipulation
- Plasma activation system, Colibrì, Gambetti
- UV and thermal polymer curing, Formlab
- Rapid prototyping, Prusa i3MK3S+
- Optical table and optomechanical components
- Workstations for numerical simulations
