Quote:
Originally Posted by freeztar
One question, why does tape not work in a vacuum?
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From what I've read, it appears that the linkage formed by adhesives is both mechanical and molecular, and that the ability of the tape to stick to the surface is contingent on it's ability to be "pushed" against it. Generally, it is air pressure doing the pushing, and in space this is absent. However, I didn't get much farther than that.
Here is a link to the actual article published by the researchers, however it requires paid subscription:
Abstract (free) :
Carbon nanotube-based synthetic gecko tapes -- Ge et al., 10.1073/pnas.0703505104 -- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Full Text (subscription only):
PNAS -- Sign In Page
