Switchable Underwater Adhesion by Deformable Cupped Microstructures

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Date
2020
Volume
7
Issue
23
Journal
Series Titel
Book Title
Publisher
Weinheim : Wiley-VCH
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Abstract

Switchable underwater adhesion can be useful for numerous applications, but is extremely challenging due to the presence of water at the contact interface. Here, deformable cupped microstructures (diameter typically 100 µm, rim thickness 5 µm) are reported that can switch between high (≈1 MPa) and low (<0.2 MPa) adhesion strength by adjusting the retraction velocity from 100 to 0.1 µm s–1. The velocity at which the switch occurs is determined by specific design parameters of the cupped microstructure, such as the cup width and angle. The results are compared with theoretical estimates of water penetration into the contact zone and expansion of the cup during retraction. This work paves the way for controlling wet adhesion on demand and may inspire further applications in smart adhesives.

Description
Keywords
cupped microstructures, pick-and-place, switchable adhesion, twophoton lithography, underwater adhesion
Citation
Wang, Y., Kang, V., Federle, W., Arzt, E., & Hensel, R. (2020). Switchable Underwater Adhesion by Deformable Cupped Microstructures. 7(23). https://doi.org//10.1002/admi.202001269
License
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Unported