The Fabrication of Dry Adhesives Mimicking the Gecko Adhesive System

In this study, we fabricate dry adhesives mimicking the gecko fibrillar adhesive system using conventional as well as unconventional techniques. Synthetic dry adhesives with varying tilt angles in the fibrillar structures are fabricated and the resulting adhesion and friction forces are measured and analyzed using a tribometer.  We find that the tilt in the fibrillar structures provides anisotropy in the response of the surface as well as determines the magnitude of the adhesion and friction forces upon shearing. Our results show good agreement with the peel zone model for gecko adhesion.  Potential applications of such a synthetic dry adhesive include reusable adhesive tapes and sticky pads on robotic appendages.