MEADVILLE, Pa. – Nov. 11, 2009 – Ali Dhinojwala, the H.A. Morton Professor of Polymer Science at the University of Akron, will present “Gecko-inspired Adhesives,” a free public lecture, on Monday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Carr Hall auditorium on the Allegheny College campus.
Dhinojwala will discuss a new class of synthetic adhesives inspired by wall-climbing lizards such as geckos, which have a unique ability to attach to different surfaces without using viscoelastic glues. The micron-size hairs on gecko feet adhere to rough surfaces and keep the feet clean to allow adhesion in dusty environments.
Dhinojwala will address the strategy of using micro-patterned vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNT) to mimic the hairs found on gecko feet. These CNT structures can be transferred to flexible plastic films to create flexible adhesive tapes. These adhesives will be useful for applications in the areas of wall-climbing robots, reversible adhesives and adhesives suitable for use in space and electronic applications.
Dhinojwala’s presentation is supported by the Jonathan Lee Rusk Memorial Physics Lecture Fund at Allegheny College. For more information about the lecture, contact the Allegheny Department of Physics at (814) 332-5365.
