Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 25, 2025
10:52
Preparation and High-temperature Anti-adhesion Behavior of a Slippery Surface on Stainless Steel
Published on: March 29, 2018
7.7K
The effects of soft and rough substrates on suction-based adhesion
Jonathan M Huie1,2, Adam P Summers2
1Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|April 25, 2022
Summary
Northern clingfish and biomimetic suction cups excel on compliant surfaces, outperforming commercial cups. Their flexible edges adapt to irregularities, improving adhesion where stiff cups fail.
Area of Science:
- Biomimetics and adhesion science.
- Comparative biomechanics of marine organisms.
- Materials science and engineering.
Background:
- Northern clingfish (Gobiesox maeandricus) possess a unique adhesive disc for gripping rough surfaces.
- Commercial suction cups often fail on irregular or compliant surfaces.
- Existing performance data for suction devices primarily uses stiff substrates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the impact of substrate compliance and roughness on suction performance.
- To compare the adhesion of natural clingfish discs, commercial cups, and biomimetic cups.
- To investigate the role of disc edge compliance in overcoming surface irregularities.
Main Methods:
- Tested suction performance of northern clingfish, commercial cups, and three biomimetic cups with varying edge compliance.
- Evaluated adhesion on substrates with differing stiffness and roughness.
- Analyzed peak stress and adhesion characteristics.
Main Results:
- All tested cups exhibited reduced performance on more compliant substrates.
- Surface roughness had minimal impact on adhesion on compliant substrates.
- Biomimetic cups with compliant rims demonstrated superior performance on compliant surfaces.
Conclusions:
- Suction performance on compliant substrates is influenced by the effective elastic modulus of the cup-substrate interaction.
- Biomimetic suction cups show significant potential for applications in challenging environments like medical and marine geotechnical fields.
- The overmolding technique is a valuable method for creating bioinspired devices and studying biological systems.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity
29.8K
Surface Tension
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
29.8K
01:14Adhesion
41.8K
Adhesion occurs when one type of molecule is attracted to a different molecule. Water exhibits adhesive properties in the presence of polar surfaces, such as glass or cellulose in plants. For instance, when water is poured into a glass, the positively charged hydrogen molecules of water are more attracted to the negatively charged oxygen molecules in the silica than to the oxygen in neighboring water molecules.
Capillary action is a result of water’s adhesive tendencies. When a narrow...
Capillary action is a result of water’s adhesive tendencies. When a narrow...
41.8K
01:07Frictional Force
8.6K
When a body is in motion, it encounters resistance because the body interacts with its surroundings. This resistance is known as friction, a common yet complex force whose behavior is still not completely understood. Friction opposes relative motion between systems in contact, but also allows us to move. Friction arises in part due to the roughness of surfaces in contact. For one object to move along a surface, it must rise to where the peaks of the surface can skip along the bottom of the...
8.6K
01:21Characteristics of Dry Friction
690
Dry friction occurs when two solid surfaces slide against each other without any lubrication or fluid present. It causes resistance when pushing objects along a surface, like a gardener pushing a wheelbarrow. The force applied to move the cart causes dry friction between the wheel and the ground.
Before the wheelbarrow starts moving, the static frictional force acts tangentially to the contact surface, opposing the force that is about to induce the motion. This frictional force prevents the...
Before the wheelbarrow starts moving, the static frictional force acts tangentially to the contact surface, opposing the force that is about to induce the motion. This frictional force prevents the...
690
01:16Surface Tension and Surface Energy
1.9K
When a paint brush is immersed in water, the bristles wave freely inside the water. When it is taken out, the bristles stick together. The reason behind this effect is surface tension.
Consider a beaker filled with liquid. The bulk molecules in the liquid experience equal attractive forces on all sides with the surrounding molecules. However, the surface molecules experience a net attractive force downward due to the bulk molecules. The surface of the liquid behaves like a stretched membrane,...
Consider a beaker filled with liquid. The bulk molecules in the liquid experience equal attractive forces on all sides with the surrounding molecules. However, the surface molecules experience a net attractive force downward due to the bulk molecules. The surface of the liquid behaves like a stretched membrane,...
1.9K