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