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The two front feet of a tokay gecko can withstand 20.1 N of force parallel to the surface with 227 mm 2 of pad area, [4] a force as much as 40 times the gecko's weight. . Scientists have been investigating the secret of this extraordinary adhesion ever since the 19th century, and at least seven possible mechanisms for gecko adhesion have been discussed over the past 17
Nano tape, also called gecko tape is a synthetic adhesive tape consisting of arrays of carbon nanotubes transferred onto a backing material of flexible polymer tape. These arrays are called synthetic setae and mimic the nanostructures found on the toes of a gecko ; this is an example of biomimicry .
In 2007, researchers from the University of Akron and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute announced they had developed a form of flexible, reusable gecko tape using carbon nanotubes to create microscopic synthetic setae and spatulae capable of supporting a shear stress of 32 N/cm 2, which is four times the strength of a gecko's foot.
Setae can range in length from a few micrometers to several millimeters. [6] Dipteran outgrowths are acanthae, which are single sclerotized protuberances originating from a single cell. [ 6 ] The acanthae are hollow inside, and some have pores under the terminal plate, which presumably deliver an adhesive secretion directly to the contact area ...
Synthetic setae are a class of synthetic adhesives that detach at will, sometimes called resettable adhesives, yet display substantial stickiness. The development of such synthetic materials is a matter of current research. [6] [13] [14]
The interactions between the gecko's feet and the climbing surface are stronger than simple surface area effects. On its feet, the gecko has many microscopic hairs, or setae (singular seta), that increase the Van der Waals forces - the distance-dependent attraction between atoms or molecules - between its feet and the surface.
Even though the interaction energy is very weak (~10–100 meV), physisorption plays an important role in nature. For instance, the van der Waals attraction between surfaces and foot-hairs of geckos (see Synthetic setae) provides the remarkable ability to climb up vertical walls. [4]
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