• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.39 no.11
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• pp.1099-1103
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• 2015

Recently, there have been several studies on the inspiration and application of optimized natural structures. One study introduced a new adhesion method that was inspired by the feet of geckos because of their superior features such as high adhesion strength, ease-of-removal, and they are environmentally friendly. Various micro- or nano-structures were fabricated and tested for gecko-like dry adhesives, but gecko-like dry adhesives that were developed became easily worn from frequent use. In this study, we propose a metal-coating method to improve the durability of gecko-like dry adhesives. We evaluate the initial adhesion strength and durability by performing repeated adhesion tests on a glass plate. The initial adhesive strength of gold-coated micro-structures was 60% of that for non-coated ones. However, the adhesive strength of gold-coated micro-structures was kept as 58% of their initial adhesion strength, while that of non-coated ones was only 40%.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.40 no.7
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• pp.673-677
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• 2016

Recently, engineering applications have started to adopt solutions inspired by nature. The peculiar adhesive properties of gecko skin are an example, as they allow the animal to move freely on vertical walls and even on ceilings. The high adhesive forces between gecko feet and walls are due to the hierarchical microscopical structure of the skin. In this study, the effect of metal coatings on the adhesive strength of synthetic, hierarchically structured, dry adhesives was investigated. Synthetic dry adhesives were fabricated using PDMS micro-molds prepared by photolithography. Metal coatings on synthetic dry adhesives were formed by plasma sputtering. Adhesive strength was measured by pure shear tests. The highest adhesion strengths were found with coatings composed of 4 nm thick layers of Indium, 8 nm thick layers of Zinc and 6 nm thick layers of Gold, respectively.