Array Aspect Ratio Effect on Reversible Fibrillar Adhesion

Many small insects and creatures utilize reversible adhesion to vertically scale up walls and surfaces. The adhesion mechanisms
are reliant on the tip geometry of highly dense fibrillar arrays as opposed to surface chemistry. The arrays can switch between high
strength and completely non-adhering states. I will be investigating the role of array aspect ratio and its influence on the
reversibility and controllability of bio-inspired fibrillar adhesion. I hypothesize that if the strength of an array lessens in the presence
of interfacial defects and misalignments, then implementing a more oblong shape or rectangular aspect ratio along the direction of
the misalignment will result in a lower ultimate strength. This weakening of the ultimate load bearing ability of the array is also a
gain in the controllability of the adhesion as total detachment energy and force will have been lowered.

Faculty Supervisor:

Mattia Bacca

Student:

Partner:

Leibniz Institut für neue Materialien

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: