On the role of the van der Waals interaction in gecko adhesion: A DFT perspective
The significance of the van der Waals (vdW) interaction in the adhesion mechanism of geckos to surfaces is estimated quantitatively using dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT). A complete survey of the pairwise energies for the elements present in gecko epithelia, soda lime glass and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Results in Materials |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590048X20300224 |
| _version_ | 1811323751194689536 |
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| author | I.G. Shuttleworth |
| author_facet | I.G. Shuttleworth |
| author_sort | I.G. Shuttleworth |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The significance of the van der Waals (vdW) interaction in the adhesion mechanism of geckos to surfaces is estimated quantitatively using dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT). A complete survey of the pairwise energies for the elements present in gecko epithelia, soda lime glass and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) shows that the van der Waals interaction plays a minor role in the binding between the atoms in the epithelia and the glass and PTFE substrates. Using a simplified microscopic model for the geckos epithelium, DFT predicts strong (weak) binding between the gecko and glass (PTFE) surfaces, both with and without the vdW interaction. This is in agreement with experimental observations, and is highly suggestive that dispersive interactions only play a minor role in gecko adhesion to glass and PTFE surfaces. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T14:01:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6827d3e6814d46eb9dc09463db791c4a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2590-048X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T14:01:24Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Results in Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-6827d3e6814d46eb9dc09463db791c4a2022-12-22T02:44:02ZengElsevierResults in Materials2590-048X2020-06-016100080On the role of the van der Waals interaction in gecko adhesion: A DFT perspectiveI.G. Shuttleworth0School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UKThe significance of the van der Waals (vdW) interaction in the adhesion mechanism of geckos to surfaces is estimated quantitatively using dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT). A complete survey of the pairwise energies for the elements present in gecko epithelia, soda lime glass and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) shows that the van der Waals interaction plays a minor role in the binding between the atoms in the epithelia and the glass and PTFE substrates. Using a simplified microscopic model for the geckos epithelium, DFT predicts strong (weak) binding between the gecko and glass (PTFE) surfaces, both with and without the vdW interaction. This is in agreement with experimental observations, and is highly suggestive that dispersive interactions only play a minor role in gecko adhesion to glass and PTFE surfaces.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590048X20300224van der WaalsGrimme-D2vdW-DFGeckoGlassPTFE |
| spellingShingle | I.G. Shuttleworth On the role of the van der Waals interaction in gecko adhesion: A DFT perspective Results in Materials van der Waals Grimme-D2 vdW-DF Gecko Glass PTFE |
| title | On the role of the van der Waals interaction in gecko adhesion: A DFT perspective |
| title_full | On the role of the van der Waals interaction in gecko adhesion: A DFT perspective |
| title_fullStr | On the role of the van der Waals interaction in gecko adhesion: A DFT perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | On the role of the van der Waals interaction in gecko adhesion: A DFT perspective |
| title_short | On the role of the van der Waals interaction in gecko adhesion: A DFT perspective |
| title_sort | on the role of the van der waals interaction in gecko adhesion a dft perspective |
| topic | van der Waals Grimme-D2 vdW-DF Gecko Glass PTFE |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590048X20300224 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT igshuttleworth ontheroleofthevanderwaalsinteractioningeckoadhesionadftperspective |