Date: Feb 12, 2016 Source: SBIR.gov (
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Nature has provided engineers with extraordinary templates for materials and devices. Of particular importance for the development of adhesives are a gecko's feet. Many sticky materials that mimic the gecko have been developed. However, producing those materials requires cleanroom lithographic and etching processes, which have high costs that have prevented the commercialization of such bioinspired adhesive materials. That is, until now.
With support from the National Science Foundation, nanoGriptech, a Carnegie Mellon Univ. spinout, has commercialized a new class of gecko- like dry adhesives. The materials have the high shear, tensile, and peel strengths of conventional pressure- sensitive adhesives, with the added benefits of being residue-free and easy to remove and reuse without loss of performance.
nanoGriptech's materials can be produced in discrete sheets or continuous rolls. The company can produce tens of thousands of square feet of adhesive using processes and equipment that can be scaled to meet anticipated demand by customers in the apparel, automotive, consumer electronics, defense, and other industries.
