Science Forums 2

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNow

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.

Perhaps I'm taking "pushed" too literally, but wouldn't gecko tape need to be pushed onto a surface as well? And would not the nanotubes interacting with the surface be considered molecular?

I'm going to hazard a guess and say that in a vacuum, you do not have space between the molecules because of lack of air. Perhaps this air space is critical for the "intertwining" to work.
I'm envisioning something like a peice of velcro made out of minature balloons. With the baloons deflated, no "hooks" would exist to snag each other.

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

While I do like reading published journal articles, I can't afford it.