| Science works fast, especially when it comes to | | | | polyamide surface is covered with millions of |
| adhesives. A few years back, the BBC Wildlife | | | | mushroom like stalks that mimic the tiny cups on the |
| magazine published a little story on gecko lizards. They | | | | pads of gecko feet called setae. This isn't the first |
| referred to the little creatures as cling kings because | | | | adhesive made to mimic the gecko foot. Back in 2003, |
| they're known to cling to surfaces even when the | | | | a group of Manchester researchers produced a similar |
| surface is held upside down. The year was 2002, and | | | | product which they called 'gecko tape'. They |
| scientists were just beginning to speculate that the | | | | demonstrated the effectiveness of the new dry |
| trick wasn't in what appeared to be little suction cups | | | | adhesive by suspending a toy action figure of |
| on their toes and feet as had always been believed. In | | | | superhero Spiderman from a ceiling. They'd considered |
| fact, the scientists continued, those little suction pads | | | | suspending a human, one of the team admitted, but the |
| were too small to generate enough suction to adhere | | | | amount needed would have been far too costly to |
| them to any surface. No, suction didn't account for the | | | | produce. |
| adhesive quality of the little gecko. | | | | The Bristol team at BAE Systems has worked their |
| Nor, apparently, did capillary action, nor static electricity. | | | | way around the cost by using a modified version of |
| In fact, the article concluded, the gecko sticks to | | | | the process used to make silicon chips to create the |
| surfaces by molecular adhesion. And that adhesive is | | | | tiny setae on the polymer surface. The process is |
| strong. Scientists estimate that a gecko's adhesive | | | | well-known and understood, and can be done cheaply |
| would stay adhered to the ceiling even if it were | | | | to run up to a very large scale, making production of |
| wearing a 40kg rucksack on its back. Over the past | | | | Synthetic Gecko a financially viable proposition. |
| several years, scientists in various industrial adhesives | | | | Needless to say, this gecko like glue is causing quite a |
| laboratories have been trying to figure out exactly how | | | | stir in the industrial adhesives industry. The possibilities |
| this effect works, and how to duplicate it. Now it | | | | for its use as an industrial adhesive are broad. Already |
| appears that it's been done. Scientists at BAE | | | | there is speculation that it could be used to attach |
| Systems, an aeronautics and defence firm, have | | | | aeroplane wings, make skin graft or create Spiderman |
| created an adhesive that they call Synthetic Gecko, | | | | like suits that would let window-washers scramble up |
| and that others are referring to as 'gecko glue'. | | | | the sides of buildings without the use of a ladder. |
| The gecko adhesive is made of polymer, and is | | | | Imagine super grip tyres, safety harnesses and instant |
| reusable, say the scientists who developed the stuff. | | | | repair patches for nearly anything. The uses are still |
| And it's strong - just one metre square of the industrial | | | | potentially years off, say most scientists, and even |
| adhesive could hang your family's car from the ceiling | | | | then Synthetic gecko is unlikely to replace other types |
| of your kitchen. It will stick to just about anything, | | | | of industrial adhesives. Each has its own use and its |
| including dirty surfaces, and it will stay stuck until it's | | | | own unique advantages and disadvantages. Still, the |
| peeled off - at which point, it can be reapplied without | | | | possibilities are profound for the new dry adhesive. |
| losing any of its adhesive qualities or power. There are | | | | From medicine to construction, it may offer a great |
| stronger glues out there, scientists admit, but this one is | | | | many changes in the way that things are stuck |
| reusable, and it doesn't feel sticky to the touch. | | | | together. |
| The secret is in the structure of Synthetic Gecko. The | | | | |