PECASE: Mechanics of Biological Adhesion, Friction and Engineered Surfaces

职业：生物黏附、摩擦和工程表面的力学摘要了解壁虎等动物表现出的特殊黏附和摩擦背后的机制，如果能够在实验室中模仿一些自然界高度优化的解决方案，可能会带来显著的技术好处。这样的努力在生物学、应用力学和微/纳米制造之间的界面上提供了一系列富有挑战性的问题。拟议的研究和教育计划试图为发展这一新领域做出贡献，从中可以获得实际利益。这项工作的重点是设计微米和纳米尺度的表面形貌，以便(I)了解生物黏附和摩擦系统的机理，(Ii)开发实现自然机制的仿生策略，以优化黏附和摩擦。拟议的方案将PI的研究活动和实验室设施与他的教育计划和参与外联活动结合起来。其中一些具体计划是：在整个项目期间，每年夏天将从历史悠久的黑人学院或大学(HBCU)招募一名本科生参与原创研究；PI将成为布朗大学团队的成员，该团队将帮助汉普顿大学(HBCU)开发其机械工程专业；PI还将与Bridgham公立学校(一所市中心的学校，75%的学生是西班牙裔、非裔美国人或土著美国人)开展合作，将科学事业的兴奋带给中学生。

CAREER: Mechanics of Biological Adhesion, Friction and Engineered SurfacesAbstractUnderstanding the mechanisms behind the exceptional adhesion and friction exhibited by animals such as geckos can potentially lead to significant technological benefits if some of nature's highly optimized solutions can be mimicked in a laboratory. Such an effort offers a rich set of challenging problems at the interface between biology, applied mechanics and micro/nano-fabrication. The proposed research and educational program attempts to contribute towards developing this new area from which practical benefits can be derived. The focus of the effort is on engineering the topography of surfaces at micron and nano scale in order to (i) understand the mechanics of biological adhesion and friction systems and (ii) develop biomimetic strategies which implement nature's mechanisms for optimized adhesion and friction. The proposed program integrates the PI's research activities and laboratory facilities with his educational plans and participating in outreach activities. Some of the specific plans are: an undergraduate student from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) will be recruited each summer to participate in original research, throughout the duration of this project; the PI will be a member of the Brown University team which will assist Hampton University (HBCU) in developing its Mechanical Engineering program; the PI will also develop a collaboration with the Bridgham public school (an inner city school in which 75% of the students are Hispanic, African American or Native American) in bringing the excitement of scientific enterprise to middle school students.