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Self‐Assembled Nanoparticles Based Fabrication of Gecko Foot‐Hair‐Inspired Polymer Nanofibers
Author(s) -
Kustandi T. S.,
Samper V. D.,
Yi D. K.,
Ng W. S.,
Neuzil P.,
Sun W.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200600564
Subject(s) - materials science , fabrication , nanotechnology , wafer , nanostructure , polymer , nanofiber , etching (microfabrication) , adhesive , substrate (aquarium) , adhesion , nanoparticle , composite material , layer (electronics) , medicine , oceanography , alternative medicine , pathology , geology
Wafer‐scale polymer nanofabrillar structures have been fabricated using the combination of colloidal nanolithography, deep‐silicon etching, and nanomolding to mimic the nanostructure of gecko foot‐hairs. The artificial surface features densely packed polymeric nanofibrils with super‐hydrophobic, water‐repellent, and “easy‐to‐clean” characteristics. The lateral dimension of the nanofibrils is as small as 250 nm and an aspect‐ratio as high as 10:1 has been achieved without lateral collapse between neighboring fibrils. The method allows both fabrication of synthetic structures over a large area and direct integration of a flexible membrane to assist the array of nanofibrils in making intimate contact with uneven surfaces. A single nanofibril exhibits a mean adhesive force ranging from (0.91 ± 0.34) nN to (1.35 ± 0.37) nN. In the macroscopic scale, the nanostructured surface can adhere firmly to a smooth glass substrate and inherits the in‐use, self‐cleaning property of the setal nanostructures found in gecko lamellae.