TY - JOUR
T1 - Water as a "glue"
T2 - Elasticity-enhanced wet attachment of biomimetic microcup structures
AU - Wang, Yue
AU - Li, Zhengwei
AU - Elhebeary, Mohamed
AU - Hensel, Rene
AU - Arzt, Eduard
AU - Taher, M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022/3
Y1 - 2022/3
N2 - Octopus, clingfish, and larva use soft cups to attach to surfaces under water. Recently, various bioinspired cups have been engineered. However, the mechanisms of their attachment and detachment remain elusive. Using a novel microcup, fabricated by two-photon lithography, coupled with in situ pressure sensor and observation cameras, we reveal the detailed nature of its attachment/detachment under water. It involves elasticity-enhanced hydrodynamics generating "self-sealing" and high suction at the cup-substrate interface, converting water into "glue." Detachment is mediated by seal breaking. Three distinct mechanisms of breaking are identified, including elastic buckling of the cup rim. A mathematical model describes the interplay between the attachment/detachment process, geometry, elasto-hydrodynamics, and cup retraction speed. If the speed is too slow, then the octopus cannot attach; if the tide is too gentle for the larva, then water cannot serve as a glue. The concept of "water glue" can innovate underwater transport and manufacturing strategies.
AB - Octopus, clingfish, and larva use soft cups to attach to surfaces under water. Recently, various bioinspired cups have been engineered. However, the mechanisms of their attachment and detachment remain elusive. Using a novel microcup, fabricated by two-photon lithography, coupled with in situ pressure sensor and observation cameras, we reveal the detailed nature of its attachment/detachment under water. It involves elasticity-enhanced hydrodynamics generating "self-sealing" and high suction at the cup-substrate interface, converting water into "glue." Detachment is mediated by seal breaking. Three distinct mechanisms of breaking are identified, including elastic buckling of the cup rim. A mathematical model describes the interplay between the attachment/detachment process, geometry, elasto-hydrodynamics, and cup retraction speed. If the speed is too slow, then the octopus cannot attach; if the tide is too gentle for the larva, then water cannot serve as a glue. The concept of "water glue" can innovate underwater transport and manufacturing strategies.
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U2 - 10.1126/sciadv.abm9341
DO - 10.1126/sciadv.abm9341
M3 - Article
C2 - 35319998
AN - SCOPUS:85126861926
SN - 2375-2548
VL - 8
JO - Science Advances
JF - Science Advances
IS - 12
M1 - eabm9341
ER -