Search
Menu
Meadowlark Optics - Wave Plates 6/24 LB 2024

Gecko Grip Given to Any Surface

Facebook X LinkedIn Email
HOUSTON, Jan. 27, 2010 – A graduate student at Rice University has devised a way to transfer the gravity-defying grip of a gecko – so strong it can stick to even glass – from any surface to another in a matter of minutes. What makes a gecko foot stick is the attractive force – the van der Waals force – between millions of microscopic hairs on its feet and the surface. Graduate student Cary Pint came up with a way to transfer synthetic gecko "hairs" – forests of strongly aligned, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) – from one surface to another quickly. The template used to...Read full article

Related content from Photonics Media



    Articles


    Products


    Photonics Handbook Articles


    White Papers


    Webinars


    Photonics Dictionary Terms


    Media


    Photonics Buyers' Guide Categories


    Companies
    Published: January 2010
    Glossary
    nano
    An SI prefix meaning one billionth (10-9). Nano can also be used to indicate the study of atoms, molecules and other structures and particles on the nanometer scale. Nano-optics (also referred to as nanophotonics), for example, is the study of how light and light-matter interactions behave on the nanometer scale. See nanophotonics.
    nanotechnology
    The use of atoms, molecules and molecular-scale structures to enhance existing technology and develop new materials and devices. The goal of this technology is to manipulate atomic and molecular particles to create devices that are thousands of times smaller and faster than those of the current microtechnologies.
    nanotube
    A nanotube, also known as a nanotubule or simply a tube-like structure, is a nanoscale cylindrical structure composed of various materials, including carbon, boron nitride, or other compounds. Nanotubes have unique physical and chemical properties due to their small size and specific atomic arrangement, making them of significant interest in various scientific and technological fields. One of the most well-known types of nanotubes is the carbon nanotube (CNT), which is composed of carbon...
    van der waals
    Van der Waals forces refer to the attractive or repulsive forces between molecules (or parts of molecules) that arise from fluctuations in electron distribution. These forces are relatively weak compared to covalent or ionic bonds but play a crucial role in determining the physical and chemical properties of substances, particularly in the context of intermolecular interactions. Types of and key points about Van der Waals Forces: London dispersion forces: Also known as dispersion forces or...
    ACS NanoBasic SciencecarbonCary PintCVDenergyengineeringFermiFourier transform infraredFTIRgeckoindustrialnanonanotechnologynanotubeResearch & TechnologyRice UniversitysemiconductingsemiconductorsSensors & DetectorssolarspectroscopicspectroscopySWNTTexasthe Americasvan der Waals

    We use cookies to improve user experience and analyze our website traffic as stated in our Privacy Policy. By using this website, you agree to the use of cookies unless you have disabled them.