Description
Gecko tape, an example of biomimicry, is so called because it is based on the ability of the gecko to adhere to surfaces – regardless of a surface's orientation – due to millions of microscopic hairs, called setae, on the gecko's toes.
There are also a number of insects that achieve adhesion based on the same principles as the gecko.
Due to a very close contact of the spatulae (very small hairs in the setae), the common thought is that Van der Waals force interactions are involved. Usually there is only Van der Waals interactions in the same material (solids). Because of the very small hairs, a close contact is achieved, which leads to the Van der Waals interaction. This interaction is not very big because the hairs are just small. The large number of hairs makes the total Van der Waals force large. The force can only work with macro angles smaller than 30 degrees. With these small angles, a normal static friction leads to the adhesion. For the gecko it is thus very simple to get loose from the surface. It only has to change its contact angle to the surface.
Read more about this topic: Gecko Tape
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