Switchable Dry Adhesion with Step-like Micropillars and Controllable Interfacial Contact

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b01434
• Publication Date: 2016-04-04T11:09:02Z
• Authors: Yue Wang; Hongmiao Tian; Jinyou Shao; Dan Sameoto; Xiangming Li; Li Wang; Hong Hu; Yucheng Ding; Bingheng Lu
• Keywords: Contact area

Dry adhesives have attracted much attention because of their repeatable and reversible attachment. Many research groups made fruitful achievements in fabricating designing various dry adhesives. However, most these studies focus on imitating bioinspired geometry to achieve this smart adhesion, neglecting the contact interface control through peeling motion. Here, we present an alternative design switchable adhesion basis controlling areas. This unique includes micropillars array with large overhanging caps a "step" located at center line cap. When dragging pillars direction upper surface step, lower is brought into contact, rapidly yielding stronger (switched-on state). Alternatively, when areas decrease sharply, leading weak (switched-off Such property under strong force exactly what many practical applications need, ability by area size presented here opens new way design.