Crossref journal-article
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (341)
Abstract

We have developed a synthetic gecko tape by transferring micropatterned carbon nanotube arrays onto flexible polymer tape based on the hierarchical structure found on the foot of a gecko lizard. The gecko tape can support a shear stress (36 N/cm2) nearly four times higher than the gecko foot and sticks to a variety of surfaces, including Teflon. Both the micrometer-size setae (replicated by nanotube bundles) and nanometer-size spatulas (individual nanotubes) are necessary to achieve macroscopic shear adhesion and to translate the weak van der Waals interactions into high shear forces. We have demonstrated for the first time a macroscopic flexible patch that can be used repeatedly with peeling and adhesive properties better than the natural gecko foot. The carbon nanotube-based tape offers an excellent synthetic option as a dry conductive reversible adhesive in microelectronics, robotics, and space applications.

Bibliography

Ge, L., Sethi, S., Ci, L., Ajayan, P. M., & Dhinojwala, A. (2007). Carbon nanotube-based synthetic gecko tapes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(26), 10792–10795.

Authors 5
  1. Liehui Ge (first)
  2. Sunny Sethi (additional)
  3. Lijie Ci (additional)
  4. Pulickel M. Ajayan (additional)
  5. Ali Dhinojwala (additional)
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Dates
Type When
Created 18 years, 2 months ago (June 19, 2007, 11:09 p.m.)
Deposited 7 months, 1 week ago (Jan. 17, 2025, 5:47 a.m.)
Indexed 1 month ago (July 24, 2025, 7:49 a.m.)
Issued 18 years, 2 months ago (June 26, 2007)
Published 18 years, 2 months ago (June 26, 2007)
Published Online 18 years, 2 months ago (June 26, 2007)
Published Print 18 years, 2 months ago (June 26, 2007)
Funders 0

None

@article{Ge_2007, title={Carbon nanotube-based synthetic gecko tapes}, volume={104}, ISSN={1091-6490}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0703505104}, DOI={10.1073/pnas.0703505104}, number={26}, journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, publisher={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, author={Ge, Liehui and Sethi, Sunny and Ci, Lijie and Ajayan, Pulickel M. and Dhinojwala, Ali}, year={2007}, month=jun, pages={10792–10795} }