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Temperature-Induced Switchable Adhesion using Nickel-Titanium-Polydimethylsiloxane Hybrid Surfaces.

Mareike Frensemeier¹, Jessica S Kaiser², Carl P Frick³

¹Saarland University Campus D 2 2, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany ; INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials Campus D 2 2, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany.

Advanced Functional Materials

|June 30, 2015

Summary

Researchers developed a switchable dry adhesive using nickel-titanium (NiTi) shape-memory alloy. This novel material demonstrates reversible adhesion, switching between adhesive and non-adhesive states by changing temperature.

Keywords:

adhesion bioinspired nickel–titanium shape-memory

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Area of Science:

Materials Science
Surface Science
Adhesion Science

Background:

Micropatterned surfaces are explored for bioinspired adhesion.
Reversible adhesion systems remain a significant research challenge.
Shape-memory alloys offer unique opportunities for tunable surface properties.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a switchable dry adhesive utilizing the shape-memory effect of nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloys.
To investigate the influence of temperature-induced topographical changes on adhesive performance.
To demonstrate reversible adhesion through repeated phase transformations.

Main Methods:

Training NiTi alloys via indentation and grinding to induce a temperature-dependent shape-memory effect.
Coating NiTi surfaces with smooth or patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layers.
Conducting adhesion tests to quantify the switchable adhesive performance.

Main Results:

A hybrid NiTi-PDMS system exhibited temperature-induced topographical switching.
Adhesion decreased by 56% for smooth PDMS and nearly 100% for patterned PDMS upon transition.
The system demonstrated strong reversibility, enabling repeated switching between adhesive and non-adhesive states.

Conclusions:

The developed NiTi-based system provides a novel approach to switchable dry adhesion.
Temperature-induced changes in NiTi topography significantly modulate adhesive properties.
The reversible nature of the NiTi martensitic phase transformation is key to the adhesive switching mechanism.