AN ON/OFF REVERSIBLE ADHESIVE
A novel adhesive system able to stick and unstick controllably.
Further development of reversible adhesive systems will lead to a new class of materials, able to stick and unstick controllably. These controllable adhesives may find applications ranging from everyday consumer products; such as a non-mechanical car door latching and sealing system; to improving manufacturing techniques with the ability to grip just about any surface; to high-tech niche applications, e.g. microrobotics.
- Ability to switch from “sticky” to “non-sticky” rapidly without causing any degradation or contamination of the surface
RELATED LINKS AND DOWNLOADS
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Non-Confidential Description 2006-418
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
File Number:
UC2006-418
Detailed Description:
BACKGROUND:
In the past few years, the gecko’s adhesion system has attracted great interest for its potential to inspire a new
class of adhesives. Several research groups have come to understand the gecko’s adhesion structure, as well as
mimic its nano-hair assembly. Though the adhesion properties of the Gecko are fascinating, the ability to control
the stickiness of the surface as it runs across surfaces has the most exiting potential. An adhesive that has the
ability to switch from “sticky” to “non-sticky” rapidly without causing any degradation or contamination of t
surface will open many technological doors.
DESCRIPTION:
Researchers at the University of California at Santa Barbara have developed a novel adhesive system able to stick
and unstick controllably. The system is composed of aligned vertical nanorods coating on flexible micron
cantilever paddles. The paddles, composed of nickel, when placed in a magnetic field, reorient themselves so tha
the terminal pad of the structure, responsible for adhesion, rotates to face away from an adhering surfa
conformational change effectively switches off the structure’s ability to adhere by drastically reducing the
available adhesive area.
Web site:
| Patent Information: | A non-provisional patent application has been filed. |
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| Additional Patents: | No |
