Meeting Abstract

P1-233  Thursday, Jan. 5 15:30 – 17:30  Gecko Adhesion on Wet and Dry Rough Substrates STARK, AY; PALECEK, AM*; ARGENBRIGHT, CW; BERNARD, C; BRENNAN, AB; KLITTICH, MR; NIEWIAROWSKI, PH; DHINOJWALA, A; The University of Louisville; The University of Akron; University of Florida; The University of Akron; University of Florida; The University of Akron; The University of Akron; The University of Akron amp129@zips.uakron.edu

The gecko adhesive system has been studied on a variety of smooth, dry, artificial surfaces. However, geckos are likely to encounter variably rough surfaces in their natural habitat, such as leaves and bark, and these surfaces may often be wet due to rain or high humidity. Previous studies have suggested that intermediary roughness reduces adhesion, and that substrate wettability must be more hydrophobic for geckos to maintain their grip. Although many studies have addressed gecko adhesive performance on rough substrates, none have considered how substrate roughness and surface water affect adhesion jointly. To investigate this interaction, we measured gecko adhesion on large-scaled and fine-scaled rough substrates that varied in wettability in air and in water. We found that there was no significant difference in adhesion on large-scaled rough substrates in air, but there was a significant decrease in adhesive performance on these hydrophobic surfaces in water. Conversely, on the fine-scaled substrates, there was a significant increase in adhesive performance in air, but there was no significant difference in adhesion in water. The results of this study have significant implications for how geckos navigate their natural environment in more complex conditions.