Reader response draft 2
Gecko-inspired adhesive came out of Professor Mark Cutkosky’s lab at
Stanford and is now marketed as geCKo Materials(Muller, 2023). Imagine a
material that can seamlessly adhere to almost any surface, strong enough to
hold a human's weight on a smooth wall yet gentle enough to leave no residue.
geCKo Materials is inspired by the incredible way geckos can scale walls and
even move about on the ceiling. According to Hawkes (2015), it mimics the
gecko’s foot structure, allowing it to cling to almost any surface be it rough
or smooth due to it being able to make close contact with the surface. This
field is a rather young one as it was born out of discovering the mechanism of
adhesion from geckos in 2002, namely Van der Waals forces. Unlike how sticky
tape works, where the tape sticks due to the chemicals found on one surface of
the tape, gecko adhesive is a dry adhesive that is easy to remove without the
use of force at all and it leaves no marks. Although it is currently impossible
to replicate the intricate branching structure of a gecko’s foot, the tape uses
a crude approximation of it.
The groundbreaking material that geCKo Materials has presented
represents a promising avenue for innovation in material science, offering
versatile, sustainable, and durable solutions for adhesion across various
industries. However, its widespread implementation faces challenges related to
scaling up production and ensuring long-term wear resistance.
Gecko materials present many advantages, primarily from their great
versatility, and have the potential to change the adhesive industry. Research
by Sitti and Fearing (2003) showcases that gecko inspired materials can adhere
to a large range of surfaces, from rough to smooth, without leaving any kind of
residue behind. This characteristic of gecko inspired materials makes it
especially versatile for a diverse range of applications, from biomedical to
even industrial settings. For example, Gecko inspired adhesives have shown
potential in medical applications such as wound closures and “tissue
engineering scaffolds” due to their unique ability to adhere to biological
surfaces without damage and unwanted residue (Mahdavi et al.,
2008).Additionally, for industrial contexts, gecko inspired materials also
offers great potential in robotics assembly, where it can be used to pick up
delicate objects in the production line for assembly and packing, or in
manufacturing and assembly where traditional adhesives may be at a disadvantage
in terms of versatility and efficiency (Muller, 2023, 10:00).
Additionally, gecko inspired materials' sustainability is very
noteworthy. Kerst,C., & Salfity,J.(n.d.) highlights that gecko
inspired adhesive materials are reusable with Autumn et al. (2000) stating that
they do not rely on harmful chemicals, known as dry adhesives, compared to
traditional adhesives which rely on chemicals to get their adhesive properties.
The sustainability factor is becoming more important in today's context as
consumers are looking for greener alternatives to traditional products. This in
turn pushes the industry to look for eco-friendly and reusable solutions. By
drawing inspiration from nature, gecko inspired materials will contribute to
the rise in environmentally friendly products and solutions that would reduce
the carbon footprint and in turn minimize environmental impacts.
However, the widespread usage of gecko inspired materials still faces
significant challenges. One of the most notable challenges is the scalability
of its production. Geim et al.,(2003) states that the current manufacturing
techniques for gecko materials still need to be matured and thus are not
suitable for large scale production, which limits its commercial viability.
Scaling up the production of gecko material while maintaining its unique
characteristics poses an engineering feat which would require future innovative
approaches and technological advancements. Addressing this challenge would be
the key to unlocking the full potential of gecko inspired materials and its
usage in different various industries on a mass scale(Geim et al.,2003)
Another major drawback of gecko inspired materials is their long term
wear resistance.Wang,W., et al., (2021) observed
that the adhesive properties of gecko materials may degrade overtime, reducing
their durability and usefulness in the long run. This degradation is due to
environmental conditions, surface roughness of the material the gecko adhesive
is used on, and mechanical stress. Addressing this degradation would require
research and development into it in the form of material design, surface
engineering or even coatings.This would enable gecko materials to withstand
prolonged use in harsh environmental conditions, which is essential for their
reliability and performance in wide practical usage in the long term.
In conclusion, there is sufficient evidence to prove that gecko inspired
materials holds an immense promise of being a versatile and sustainable
solution for adhesion across industries in the future. Their unique
characteristics offer opportunities in a wide range of industries like
robotics, biomedicine and manufacturing. However, addressing the challenges
related to scalability and reusability in the long term is paramount in
unleashing its full potential. Overcoming these challenges would increase gecko
material’s potential to revolutionise the field of adhesion and contribute to a
greener and more sustainable environment.
References
Autumn, K., Sitti, M., Liang, Y. A., Peattie, A. M., Hansen, W. R., Sponberg, S., Kenny, T. W., Fearing, R., Israelachvili, J. N.,Full, R. J. (2002). Evidence for van der Waals adhesion in gecko setae. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.192252799
Geim, A. K., Dubonos, S. V., Grigorieva, I. V., Novoselov, K. S., Zhukov, A. A., Shapoval, S. Y. (2003). Microfabricated adhesive mimicking gecko foot-hair. Nature Materials. https://www.nature.com/articles/nmat917
Hawkes,E.W.(2015). Human climbing with efficiently scaled gecko-inspired dry adhesives.The Royal Society Publishing. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsif.2014.0675
Kerst,C., & Salfity,J.(n.d.).geCKo Materials Executive Summary.Stanford.https://web.stanford.edu/group/OTL/lagan/19334/geCKO%20for%20Stanford.pdf
Muller, D. [Veritasium]. (2023). The Stickiest *Non-Sticky* Substance [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS0TuIPoeBs&ab_channel=Veritasium
Mahdavi et al., (2008). A biodegradable and biocompatible gecko-inspired tissue adhesive. National Library of Medicine. Https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2268132/
Sitti, M., & Fearing, R. S. (2003). Synthetic gecko foot-hair micro/nano-structures as dry adhesives. Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology. https://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/academic/class/15398-f04/www/readings/p1055.pdf
Wang,W., Liu,Y., & Xie,Z.(2021). Gecko-like dry adhesives and their applications.Springer Nature.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42235-021-00088-7
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