Go Anti Gravity Like a Gecko

The gecko has the ability to climb walls and walk the ceiling without falling prey to the forces of gravity. That’s not something that human beings can claim to do. Researchers at the American Chemical Society are working on a dry adhesive which could make it possible, one day, for humans to defy gravity and climb walls as well.

The research is currently aimed at producing a dry adhesive that will be ultra-sticky but is also simple enough to produce in large batches without being prohibitive in cost. The scientists have been experimenting with a stiff polycarbonate using a nanoimprinting technique to build web-like layers. This allows the material to be strong, and easily replicated.

The first layer was sacrificed after the second and third were applied. Once the first layer is dissolved, an additional set of layers of the adhesive were applied based on the weight it was to support.  In tests where the film was attached and detached repeatedly, the adhesive retained it’s stickiness for 50 cycles.

In the science project the researchers placed a layer of this adhesive film on the feet of a miniature robot and had it climb a slope of 30 degrees incline. The robot managed to stay the path and did not fall off.