Nanoimprinting of polymer nanostructures for gecko tape

Abstract

The ability of geckos to efficiently climb and maneuver smooth vertical surfaces with ease has fascinated the scientific community and broader society for decades. Its ability to do so has been well studied, attributed to the gecko’s foot pad having many specialized keratinous hairs that allow intimate contact with the climbing surface. This results in van der Waals forces that produce excellent adhesive strength to support the gecko’s weight. Additionally, qualities such as its self-cleaning abilities make this an excellent nano structure for dry adhesive development. The objective of this experiment is to fabricate polymer nanowires that mimic a gecko’s feet pad with potential uses in development of a gecko robot that might be able to scale vertical surfaces with ease. By process of room temperature ultrasonic embossing, successful fabrications have shown nanowires with diameters of 80nm to 200nm. Additionally, preliminary tests of the fabrications’ characterization tests showed that polymers have potential to create surfaces that can mimic the gecko’s foot pad.