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Creators/Authors contains: "Ren, Fei"

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    This study is aimed to evaluate the effects of coated surgical needles with composite polymers such as polydopamine (PDA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and carbon. The coated needle’s lubrication properties were measured using 3 DOF force sensors and 3D robot system by the repetitive insertion in soft tissue materials. Needle durability is a measure of needle sharpness after repeated passage through high stiffness tissue materials. The composite coatings were shown to reduce the insertion force by ∼49% and retraction forces by ∼46% when tested using a bovine kidney. The surface roughness and the lateral friction force of the needle are measured using the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The adhesion energy of the different coating on the needle will be measured using a nano-scratch method. 
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  3. ABSTRACT Polydopamine (PDA) is a biopolymer, which can form uniform thin films on almost all solid substrates as well as at the liquid/air interface. Carbonized polydopamine possesses graphite-like structure and exhibits high electrical conductivity, which makes it a potential carbon-based thin film conductor. However, studies on mechanical behavior of PDA and its derived materials are very limited. In this study, PDA samples were synthesized through self-assembly of dopamine in aqueous solution. Elastic modulus of thin films was measured using the nanoindentation technique. It is shown that the Young’s modulus of PDA thin film increased with increasing heat treatment temperature (up to 600°C). Doping with Cu ions also increased the Young’s modulus of PDA. Furthermore, all PDA thin films, with and without Cu, exhibited creep behavior. 
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