Feasibility of using optical coherence tomography to study the influence of skin structure on finger friction

• Published in: Tribology international 2013-07, Vol.63, p.34-44
• Main Authors: Liu, X., Lu, Z., Lewis, R., Carré, M.J., Matcher, S.J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Contact area; OCT; Skin tribology; The effect of hydration
• ISSN: 0301-679X; 1879-2464
• DOI: 10.1016/j.triboint.2012.08.020

This paper presents work using an in vivo technique, optical coherence tomography (OCT), to investigate the structure of human finger pad skin and the influences of some related parameters on skin friction, such as contact area, deformation and hydration. The experimental results show that there was no significant relationship between the thickness of the stratum corneum (SC) and the friction coefficient as well as the number of sweat ducts (SD). The real contact length was found to increase with increasing the applied normal force following the power law of A∝Wa. The study of hydration found an increasing linear relationship between the SC moisture and the friction coefficient (up to 72au). ► We introduced a new method for assessing the skin frictional behaviour. ► We examined the effect of skin structure, contact area and hydration on skin friction. ► The thickness and moisture levels of skin have big impacts on skin Young's modulus. ► The nominal contact area will increase following a power law if the applied force increases as well as the real contact area. ► Water absorption will increase the thickness of skin and moisture level hence will increase the friction coefficient.