• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.421-425
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• 2007

In the fabrication of dry adhesive structure, increasing contact-points or contact-area is the primary goal because the adhesive force grows in proportion to the contact-area. The simplest way to extend the contact surface is the fabrication by using soft materials. However, the column-array structure could confront the matting phenomenon which columns are stuck together. Therefore, we need a novel design to reduce the effective stiffness with adequate stiff materials like a gecko's setae. In this study, we propose a novel design for the dry adhesive structure. Moreover, we analyzed whether the adhesive structure conforms the rough surface sufficiently through finite element method adopted the non-bonding interaction as the body force. Also, we fabricated the novel structures via UV lithography and some techniques. In addition, we examined the adhesive force of the novel structures.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.112-115
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• 2009

In nature, some creatures have the ability to walk vertically or upside down on various natural surfaces. One of them, Tokay Gecko has billions of nano-hair at the epidermis of its digital. These nano hairs makes atomistic attractive force to the surface, therefore, it could walk and run on the vertical or upside surfaces. Recently, many researchers tried to fabricate the dry adhesive structure mimicking the nano-hair structure. in this study, I tried to survey these studies to discuss the direction of future fabrication works of dry adhesive structures.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.144-149
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• 2015

Nothobranchius guentheri and Nothobranchius patrizii have special life cycle to sustain the dry season. So, we investigated the fertilized eggs morphology, and compared ultrastructures of surface structures and the cross section of fertilized egg envelopes using light and electron microscopes to determine whether these fertilized eggs and egg envelopes show the species specificity or have special structure to sustain the dry season. These fertilized eggs were spherical, yellowish, demersal and adhesive, and had a one-sided large oil droplet. The whip-like structures, adhesive filament were distributed throughout egg envelope in both species. But, that of N. guentheri was covered with fibrous structures, and that of N. patrizii was smooth. The egg envelope consisted of two distinct layers: an outer, electron-dense layer containing adhesive filaments and an inner layer of 16 to 17 horizontal electron-dense lamellae alternating with 15 to 16 interlamellae of lower electron density in both species. The external shapes of fertilized egg and section of fertilized egg envelope were same, but ultrastructure of adhesive filaments on the outer surface was concluded to show species specificity. Our data indicate that the ultrastructural differences of adhesive filament and outer surface of fertilized egg envelope show species specificity although these species belong to same genus.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.449-449
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• 2011

We reported the direct effect of intrinsic surface energy of dry adhesive material to the Van der Waals and capillary forces contributions of the total adhesion force in an artificial gecko-inspired adhesion system. To mimic the gecko foot we fabricated tilted nanohairy structures using both lithography and ion beam treatment. The nanohairy structures were replicated from Si wafer mold using UV curable polymeric materials. The control of nanohairs slanting angles was based on the uniform linear argon ion irradiation to the nanohairy polymeric surface. The surface energy was studied utilizing subsequent conventional oxygen ion treatment on the nanohairy structures which resulted in gradient surface energy. Our shear adhesion test results were found in good agreement with the accepted Van der Waals and capillary forces theory in the gecko adhesion system. Surface energy would give a direct impact to the effective Hamaker constant in Van der Waals force and the filling angle (${\varphi}$) of water meniscus in capillary force contributions of gecko inspired adhesion system. With the increasing surface energy, the effective Hamaker constant also increased but the filling angle decreased, resulting in a competition between the two forces. Using a simple mathematical model, we compared our experimental results to show the quantitative contributions of Van der Waals and capillary forces in a single adhesion system on both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces. We found that the Van der Waals force contributes about 82.75% and 89.97% to the total adhesion force on hydrophilic and hydrophobic test surfaces, respectively, while the remaining contribution was occupied by capillary force. We also showed that it is possible to design ultrahigh dry adhesive with adhesion strength of more than 10 times higher than apparent gecko adhesion force by controlling the surface energy and the slanting angle induced-contact line of dry adhesive the materials.

• 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%.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2023

Three-dimensional (3D) micro/nanostructures based on soft elastomers have received extensive attention in recent years, owing to their potential and advanced applicability. Designing and fabricating 3D micro/nanostructures are crucial for applications in diverse engineering fields, such as sensors, harvesting devices, functional surfaces, and adhesive patches. However, because of their structural complexity, fabricating soft-elastomer-based 3D micro/nanostructures with a low cost and simple process remains a challenge. Bio-inspired designs that mimic natural structures, or replicate their micro/nanostructure surfaces, have greatly benefited in terms of low-cost fabrication, scalability, and easy control of geometrical parameters. This review highlights recent advances in 3D micro/nanostructures inspired by nature for diverse potential and advanced applications, including flexible pressure sensors, energy-harvesting devices based on triboelectricity, superhydrophobic/-philic surfaces, and dry/wet adhesive patches.

• 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.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.999-1022
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• 2016

The use of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) to strengthen steel structures has attracted the attention of researchers greatly. Previous studies demonstrated bonding of CFRP plates to the steel sections has been a successful method to increase the mechanical properties. However, the main limitation to popular use of steel/CFRP strengthening system is the concern on durability of bonding between steel and CFRP in various environmental conditions. The paper evaluates the performance of I-section steel beams strengthened with pultruded CFRP plate on the bottom flange after exposure to diverse conditions including natural tropical climate, wet/dry cycles, plain water, salt water and acidic solution. Four-point bending tests were performed at specific intervals and the mechanical properties were compared to the control beam. Besides, the ductility of the strengthened beams and distribution of shear stress in adhesive layer were investigated thoroughly. The study found the adhesive layer was the critical part and the performance of the system related directly to its behavior. The highest strength degradation was observed for the beams immersed in salt water around 18% after 8 months exposure. Besides, the ductility of all strengthened beams increased after exposure. A theoretical procedure was employed to model the degradation of epoxy adhesive.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.161-167
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• 2009

The cuticle of spider's exoskeleton is a hydrophobic and non-adhesive material, but the jumping spiders have the distinctive attachment apparatus for adhesion on smooth dry surface without sticky fluids. We have examined the whole tarsal appendages of the jumping spider, Plexippus setipes with using scanning electron microscope to reveal the fine structural characteristics of the dry adhesion system. All eight legs have the scopulae with a pair of claws on the tip of feet. Each scopula is composed of two groups of setae that are capable of dry adhesion on smooth surface, and the hook structure of the claw is advanced to move on the rough surface. The setae toward the bottom of the tarsal segment are densely covered by numerous setules on the underside which broadened from middle to distal portion. It has been revealed by this research that the contact area of the setule is always a triangular shape, and these cuticular surfaces are connected by the elongated stalks from the underlying setae. It is likely that the nano-scale structures including a triangular depression and a longitudinal groove on each setule could functionate when the spider detach its feet from the substrate.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.229-237
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• 2012

In this study, the failure mechanism of sandwich-to-laminate T-joints under pull-off loading was investigated by experiment and the finite element method. A total of 26 T-joint specimens were manufactured and tested in order to investigate the effects of both adhesive thickness (0.4, 2.0, and 4.0 mm) and environmental conditions on the failure of the joints. The results showed that failure occurred mainly as intralaminar failure in the first layer of the sandwich face, which was contacted to the paste adhesive. The failure load did not significantly change with increasing adhesive thickness in both RTD (Room Temperature and Dry) and ETW (Elevated Temperature and Wet) conditions. In the case of ETW conditions, however, the failure load increased slightly with an increase in adhesive thickness. The joints tested in ETW conditions had higher failure loads than those tested in RTD conditions. In addition to the experiment, a finite element analysis was also conducted to investigate the failure of the joint. The stress inside the first ply of the sandwich face was of interest because during the experiment, failure always occurred there. The analysis results showed good agreement with the trend of experimental results, except for the case of the smallest adhesive thickness. The highest stress was predicted in the regions where initial failure was observed in the experiment. The maximum stress was almost constant when the adhesive thickness was beyond 2 mm.