Biologically Inspired Nano-Contact Mechanics

摘要

The objective of this project was to investigate the mechanics aspects of biological adhesion and friction mechanisms of small animals and insects and to extract canonical principles that can help design synthetic surface micro-architectures that can mimic the exceptional adhesion capabilities of these animals. Our approach included theoretical modeling, experimental validation of the models and fabrication & testing of microstructures. Significant progress has been made in developing a fundamental mechanistic understanding of adhesion and friction of soft and fibrillar surfaces, which motivates several novel bio-inspired designs for future development.