Shearing of fibrillar adhesive microstructure: friction and shear-related changes in pull-off force.

To characterize the effect of shearing on function of fibrillar adhesive microstructure, friction and shear-related changes in pull-off force of a biomimetic polyvinylsiloxane mushroom-shaped fibrillar adhesive microstructure were studied. In contrast to a control flat surface, which exhibited pronounced stick-slip motion accompanied with high friction, the fibrillar microstructure demonstrated a stable and smooth sliding with a friction coefficient approximately four times lower. The structured contact also manifested zero pull-off force in a sheared state, while the flat surface exhibited highly scattered and unreliable pull-off force when affected by contact shearing. It appears that the fibrillar microstructure can be used in applications where a total attachment force should be generated in a binary on/off state and, most surprisingly, is suitable to stabilize and minimize elastomer friction.