Transformative adhesives

拟议的研究计划将侧重于充分了解使壁虎和蜘蛛能够附着在各种表面上的几何和表面属性，目标是制造具有优异性能的工程干胶。模仿壁虎独特的粘合性能，这种新型的工程干胶将能够大量重复使用，不会留下任何残留物，并将粘合在由各种材料制成的不同粗糙程度的表面上。壁虎和蜘蛛的这种粘附性主要归因于非常特殊的纳米和微观特征，这些特征使粘合剂和被粘连表面之间的界面上的分子吸引力最大化。将开发数学和模拟模型，以预测最佳的纳米和微观特征，从而最大限度地提高工程干胶的粘合性能。在这些预测特征的基础上，将开发创新的制造工艺来制造干胶的纳米结构。然后，研究人员将研究干胶表面的功能化，以在不降低粘合强度的情况下最大限度地增加干胶的使用次数，从而提高粘合性能。最后，这项研究将把通过预测开发的数学和模拟模型获得的知识、通过开发制造工艺发展的制造能力以及建议的创新表面处理方法结合起来，开发一种变革性的干胶粘剂，其粘合强度可能超过壁虎在各种不同表面上的粘合强度。这项研究的结果具有双重相关性。首先，拟议的计划将促进对壁虎和蜘蛛干粘着的科学理解。我们的模型将能够完全解释壁虎脚具有如此特定的几何和表面特征的原因。第二，将开发创新和可申请专利的技术，应用于加拿大工业感兴趣的各种领域，包括自动化、机器人、服务、生物医学、安全和空间。

The proposed program of research will focus on fully understanding the geometrical and surface properties that allow geckos and spiders to adhere to a variety of surfaces, with the goal of fabricating engineered dry adhesives with superior performance. Mimicking geckos' unique adhesive properties, the novel engineered dry adhesives will be able to be re-used a large number of times without leaving any residue, and will stick to surfaces made from a wide variety of materials and having different degrees of roughness. Such adhesive properties in geckos and spiders are mainly attributed to very specific nanoscopic and microscopic features, which maximize molecular attractive forces at the interface between adhesive and the surface to be adhered to. Mathematical and simulation models will be developed to predict optimal nanoscopic and microscopic features that will maximize the adhesive properties of engineered dry adhesives. Based on these predicted features, innovative manufacturing processes will be developed to fabricate the nanoscopic structures of the dry adhesive. Research will then investigate functionalization of the dry adhesive's surface to enhance adhesion while maximizing the number of times dry adhesives can be used without decreasing adhesion strength. Finally, the research will merge the knowledge acquired through predictions of the developed mathematical and simulations models, the manufacturing capability developed through the development of the fabrication processes, and the proposed innovative surface treatments to develop a transformative dry adhesive with an adhesion strength that potentially exceeds that of a gecko on a large variety of different surfaces. The relevance of the outcome of this research is two-fold. First, the proposed program will advance the scientific understanding of dry adhesion in geckos and spiders. Our model will be able to fully explain the reasons why geckos' feet have such specific geometrical and surface features. Second, innovative and patentable technology will be developed with applications in a large variety of fields of interest to Canadian industry, including automation, robotics, servicing, biomedicine, security and Space.