AS&T Colloquium

Geckos have the remarkable ability to run at any orientation on just about any smooth or rough, wet or dry, clean or dirty surface. The basis for geckos' adhesive properties is in the millions of micron-scale setae on each toe of the gecko which form a self-cleaning
dry adhesive.  Our interdisciplinary team of biologists and engineers is developing models for how the natural nanostructures function in a hierachical combination of spatulae, spatular stalks, setal stalks, setal arrays, and toe mechanics, and developing nanofabrication
processes which allow nanofibrillar adhesives to be economically fabricated. In addition to adhesion, the mechanical interface control possible with nanofibrillar arrays also has applications in friction, electrical contact, and self-cleaning surfaces.