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A reversible wet/dry adhesive inspired by mussels and geckos

Author

Listed:
  • Haeshin Lee

    (Biomedical Engineering Department,)

  • Bruce P. Lee

    (Nerites Corporation, 525 Science Drive, Suite 215, Madison, Wisconsin 53711, USA)

  • Phillip B. Messersmith

    (Biomedical Engineering Department,
    Material Science and Engineering Department,
    Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA)

Abstract

Geckos with Mussel On the cover, a gecko clings to a mussel shell. This improbable scenario stems from a shared ability of these species to cling on to things. Geckos can adhere even to inverted surfaces, thanks to tiny hairs on their feet. But the grip is temporary, as rapid attachment and detachment are key to locomotion. It has proved difficult to make a synthetic that stays sticky over many cycles and there is another snag: a gecko's adhesion is much reduced under water. A new adhesive, called 'geckel', overcomes this sensitivity to water by combining gecko-type nanostructures with the chemical approach to underwater adhesion used by mussels. The resulting hybrid adhesive, made up of an array of tiny pillars coated with a polymer that mimics the wet adhesive proteins found in mussels, shows remarkable reversible adhesion over 1,000 cycles in both wet and dry conditions. This development could lead to reversible adhesives suited to a range of practical applications. Cover image by H. Lee, W. Lim and A. J. Kane

Suggested Citation

  • Haeshin Lee & Bruce P. Lee & Phillip B. Messersmith, 2007. "A reversible wet/dry adhesive inspired by mussels and geckos," Nature, Nature, vol. 448(7151), pages 338-341, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:448:y:2007:i:7151:d:10.1038_nature05968
    DOI: 10.1038/nature05968
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    Cited by:

    1. Olatunji V. Oni & Michael A. Lawrence & Mark E. Zappi & William M. Chirdon, 2023. "A Review of Strategies to Enhance the Water Resistance of Green Wood Adhesives Produced from Sustainable Protein Sources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-21, October.
    2. Zhizhi Zhang & Chenxi Qin & Haiyan Feng & Yangyang Xiang & Bo Yu & Xiaowei Pei & Yanfei Ma & Feng Zhou, 2022. "Design of large-span stick-slip freely switchable hydrogels via dynamic multiscale contact synergy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Yongchun Liu & Ke Li & Juanhua Tian & Aiting Gao & Lihua Tian & Hao Su & Shuting Miao & Fei Tao & Hao Ren & Qingmin Yang & Jing Cao & Peng Yang, 2023. "Synthesis of robust underwater glues from common proteins via unfolding-aggregating strategy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    4. Bohan Cheng & Jinhong Yu & Toma Arisawa & Koki Hayashi & Joseph J. Richardson & Yasushi Shibuta & Hirotaka Ejima, 2022. "Ultrastrong underwater adhesion on diverse substrates using non-canonical phenolic groups," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Adak, Deepanjana & Bhattacharyya, Raghunath & Barshilia, Harish C., 2022. "A state-of-the-art review on the multifunctional self-cleaning nanostructured coatings for PV panels, CSP mirrors and related solar devices," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).

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