Shape memory polymer surfaces with controllable roughness for multiscale switchable dry adhesion

Abstract Switchable control of adhesion is an important feature of many desired applications such as robotic manipulation, medical adhesives, and scalable microassembly. We present the study of the switchable dry adhesion of a shape memory polymer surface comprising nanotips which is based on not on...

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Main Authors: Junhyung Kim, Seungbeom Kim, Taehyun Yun, Jeong Hyeon Kim, ChangHee Son, Yongseok Lee, Keehoon Kim, Han Eol Lee, Namjung Kim, Seok Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60220-7
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author Junhyung Kim
Seungbeom Kim
Taehyun Yun
Jeong Hyeon Kim
ChangHee Son
Yongseok Lee
Keehoon Kim
Han Eol Lee
Namjung Kim
Seok Kim
author_facet Junhyung Kim
Seungbeom Kim
Taehyun Yun
Jeong Hyeon Kim
ChangHee Son
Yongseok Lee
Keehoon Kim
Han Eol Lee
Namjung Kim
Seok Kim
author_sort Junhyung Kim
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Switchable control of adhesion is an important feature of many desired applications such as robotic manipulation, medical adhesives, and scalable microassembly. We present the study of the switchable dry adhesion of a shape memory polymer surface comprising nanotips which is based on not only overcoming but also exploiting the adhesion paradox, i.e., controlling surface roughness via the shape memory effect. Here, densely packed sharp nanotips causing an initial high surface roughness are flattened upon heating, pressing and cooling to provide a low surface roughness leading to a strong adhesion. However, the flattened nanotips restore their original shape upon reheating to cause a high surface roughness back resulting in a weak adhesion with the adhesion switchability of more than three orders of magnitude. These switchable adhesion capabilities are demonstrated in a variety of applications ranging from macro-scale robotic pick-and-place and fabric adhesives to deterministic micro-scale device-grade silicon platelet transfer and microLED assembly.
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publishDate 2025-05-01
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spelling doaj-art-5e6a69aa74c94e7aa9cc4618b44d1ec62025-08-20T03:22:11ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-05-0116111310.1038/s41467-025-60220-7Shape memory polymer surfaces with controllable roughness for multiscale switchable dry adhesionJunhyung Kim0Seungbeom Kim1Taehyun Yun2Jeong Hyeon Kim3ChangHee Son4Yongseok Lee5Keehoon Kim6Han Eol Lee7Namjung Kim8Seok Kim9Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gachon UniversityDivision of Advanced Materials Engineering, Jeonbuk National UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Engineering and Institue of Materials Science, University of ConnecticutDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)Division of Advanced Materials Engineering, Jeonbuk National UniversityDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Gachon UniversityDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)Abstract Switchable control of adhesion is an important feature of many desired applications such as robotic manipulation, medical adhesives, and scalable microassembly. We present the study of the switchable dry adhesion of a shape memory polymer surface comprising nanotips which is based on not only overcoming but also exploiting the adhesion paradox, i.e., controlling surface roughness via the shape memory effect. Here, densely packed sharp nanotips causing an initial high surface roughness are flattened upon heating, pressing and cooling to provide a low surface roughness leading to a strong adhesion. However, the flattened nanotips restore their original shape upon reheating to cause a high surface roughness back resulting in a weak adhesion with the adhesion switchability of more than three orders of magnitude. These switchable adhesion capabilities are demonstrated in a variety of applications ranging from macro-scale robotic pick-and-place and fabric adhesives to deterministic micro-scale device-grade silicon platelet transfer and microLED assembly.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60220-7
spellingShingle Junhyung Kim
Seungbeom Kim
Taehyun Yun
Jeong Hyeon Kim
ChangHee Son
Yongseok Lee
Keehoon Kim
Han Eol Lee
Namjung Kim
Seok Kim
Shape memory polymer surfaces with controllable roughness for multiscale switchable dry adhesion
Nature Communications
title Shape memory polymer surfaces with controllable roughness for multiscale switchable dry adhesion
title_full Shape memory polymer surfaces with controllable roughness for multiscale switchable dry adhesion
title_fullStr Shape memory polymer surfaces with controllable roughness for multiscale switchable dry adhesion
title_full_unstemmed Shape memory polymer surfaces with controllable roughness for multiscale switchable dry adhesion
title_short Shape memory polymer surfaces with controllable roughness for multiscale switchable dry adhesion
title_sort shape memory polymer surfaces with controllable roughness for multiscale switchable dry adhesion
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60220-7
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