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