Adhesion design maps for fibrillar adhesives: the effect of shape.

The biomimetic reproduction of adhesion organs, as found in flies, beetles and geckoes, has become a topic of intense research over the past years. Successes, however, have so far been limited. This is due to the vast range of parameters involved, including fibril size, elastic modulus, contact shape, surface roughness and ambient humidity. In previous studies, design and materials selection charts to determine the optimum materials and design combination for dry adhesive systems have been established. The effect of shape on the adhesive properties of single fibers and fiber arrays has also been a research focus. In this paper both approaches are combined to provide more advanced guidelines for the design of optimal adhesive structures.