DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1534701100. From micro to nano contacts in biological attachment devices

From micro to nano contacts in biological attachment devices

10.1073/pnas.1534701100

Crossref journal-article

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (341)

Abstract

Animals with widely varying body weight, such as flies, spiders, and geckos, can adhere to and move along vertical walls and even ceilings. This ability is caused by very efficient attachment mechanisms in which patterned surface structures interact with the profile of the substrate. An extensive microscopic study has shown a strong inverse scaling effect in these attachment devices. Whereas μm dimensions of the terminal elements of the setae are sufficient for flies and beetles, geckos must resort to sub-μm devices to ensure adhesion. This general trend is quantitatively explained by applying the principles of contact mechanics, according to which splitting up the contact into finer subcontacts increases adhesion. This principle is widely spread in design of natural adhesive systems and may also be transferred into practical applications.

Bibliography

Arzt, E., Gorb, S., & Spolenak, R. (2003). From micro to nano contacts in biological attachment devices. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 100(19), 10603â10606.

Authors 3

Eduard Arzt (first)
Stanislav Gorb (additional)
Ralph Spolenak (additional)

References 21 Referenced 1,000

Breidbach, O. (1980) Mikrokosmos 69, 200–201. / Mikrokosmos (1980)
Schliemann, H. (1983) Funkt. Biol. Med. 2, 169–177. / Funkt. Biol. Med. (1983)
10.1046/j.1439-0469.2001.00155.x
Gorb S. N. (2001) Attachment Devices of Insect Cuticle (Kluwer Dordrecht The Netherlands) pp. 1–305.
10.1098/rspb.1932.0061
10.1242/jeb.88.1.91
10.1038/35015073
10.1007/BF00994125
10.1111/j.1469-7998.1985.tb03536.x
10.1016/S0022-1910(98)00068-7
10.1007/BF00630926
10.1007/BF00401561
10.1073/pnas.192252799
10.3139/146.020345
10.1098/rspa.1971.0141
10.1242/jeb.204.8.1421
10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.028701
10.1093/aesa/76.2.295
Attygalle, A. B., Aneshansley, D. J., Meinwald, J. & Eisner, T. (2000) Zoology 103, 1–6. / Zoology (2000)
10.1007/s003590000135
10.1006/jcis.1997.4984

Dates

Type	When
Created	21 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 16, 2003, 1:42 p.m.)
Deposited	3 years, 4 months ago (April 13, 2022, 12:57 a.m.)
Indexed	2 days, 19 hours ago (Aug. 22, 2025, 12:45 a.m.)
Issued	21 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 5, 2003)
Published	21 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 5, 2003)
Published Online	21 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 5, 2003)
Published Print	21 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 16, 2003)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Arzt_2003, title={From micro to nano contacts in biological attachment devices}, volume={100}, ISSN={1091-6490}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1534701100}, DOI={10.1073/pnas.1534701100}, number={19}, journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, publisher={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, author={Arzt, Eduard and Gorb, Stanislav and Spolenak, Ralph}, year={2003}, month=sep, pages={10603–10606} }

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