@article{LI2022, 
author = {Xiaosong LI and Pengpeng BAI and Xinxin LI and Lvzhou LI and Yuanzhe LI and Hongyu LU and Liran MA and Yonggang MENG and Yu TIAN},
title = {Robust scalable reversible strong adhesion by gecko-inspired composite design},
year = {2022},
journal = {Friction},
volume = {10},
number = {8},
pages = {1192-1207},
keywords = {robotics, composite, biomimetic design, reversible adhesion, cross-scale},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.1007/s40544-021-0522-4},
doi = {10.1007/s40544-021-0522-4},
abstract = {Bio-inspired reversible adhesion has significant potential in many fields requiring flexible grasping and manipulation, such as precision manufacturing, flexible electronics, and intelligent robotics. Despite extensive efforts for adhesive synthesis with a high adhesion strength at the interface, an effective strategy to actively tune the adhesion capacity between a strong attachment and an easy detachment spanning a wide range of scales has been lagged. Herein, we report a novel soft-hard-soft sandwiched composite design to achieve a stable, repeatable, and reversible strong adhesion with an easily scalable performance for a large area ranging from ~1.5 to 150 cm2 and a high load ranging from ~20 to 700 N. Theoretical studies indicate that this design can enhance the uniform loading for attachment by restraining the lateral shrinkage in the natural state, while facilitate a flexible peeling for detachment by causing stress concentration in the bending state, yielding an adhesion switching ratio of ~54 and a switching time of less than ~0.2 s. This design is further integrated into versatile grippers, climbing robots, and human climbing grippers, demonstrating its robust scalability for a reversible strong adhesion. This biomimetic design bridges microscopic interfacial interactions with macroscopic controllable applications, providing a universal and feasible paradigm for adhesion design and control.}
}