a b s t r a c tA peeling model is proposed to analyze the peeling properties of bio-mimetic nano-films using the finite element method (FEM) and theoretical approach. The influences of the nano-film's adhesion length, thickness, elastic modulus, roughness and peeling angle on the peeling force were considered as well as the effect of the viscoelastic behavior. It has been found that the effective adhesion length, at which the peeling force attained maximum, was much smaller than the real length of nano-films; and the shear force dominated in the case of smaller peeling angles, whereas, the normal force dominated at larger peeling angles. The total peeling force decreased with an increasing peeling angle. Two limiting values of the peeling-off force can be found in the viscoelastic model, which corresponds to the smaller and larger loading rate cases. The effects of nano-film thickness and Young's modulus on peeling behaviors were also discussed. The results obtained are helpful for understanding the micro-adhesion mechanisms of biological systems, such as geckos.

Inspired by the gecko's climbing ability, adhesion between an elastic nanofilm with finite length and a rough substrate with sinusoidal roughness is studied in the present paper, considering the effects of substrate roughness and film thickness. It demonstrates that the normal adhesion force of the nanofilm on a rough substrate depends significantly on the geometrical parameters of the substrate. When the film length is larger than the wavelength of the sinusoidal roughness of the substrate, the normal adhesion force decreases with increasing surface roughness, while the normal adhesion force initially decreases then increases if the wavelength of roughness is larger than the film length. This finding is qualitatively consistent with a previously interesting experimental observation in which the adhesion force of the gecko spatula is found to reduce significantly at an intermediate roughness. Furthermore, it is inferred that the gecko may achieve an optimal spatula thickness not only to follow rough surfaces, but also to saturate the adhesion force. The results in this paper may be helpful for understanding how geckos overcome the influence of natural surface roughness and possess such adhesion to support their weights.

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Inspired by both the water collection strategy of desert beetles and the lubrication effect of Nepenthes pitcher plants, a new flexible functional surface for water collection is designed and can be easily fabricated. Such a functional surface consists mainly of a superhydrophobic region and a hydrophobic region with infused lubricating oil. Different functional patterns can be easily manipulated by different templates. Due to the flexibility of the surface, not only a two-dimensional surface but also a threedimensional one can be designed. Directional water collection can be achieved. Furthermore, it is an integrative bioinspired functional surface that does not require any tailoring. Compared with existing functional surfaces, the present surface has higher water collection efficiency in fog and such a function can last 15 days. The functional degraded surfaces can also be easily reused.

a b s t r a c tIn order to study the adhesion mechanism of a viscoelastic thin-film on a substrate, peeling experiment of a viscoelastic polyvinylchloride (PVC) thin-film on a rigid substrate (glass) is carried out. The effects of peeling rate, peeling angle, film thickness, surface roughness and the interfacial adhesive on the peeloff force are considered. It is found that both the viscoelastic properties of the film and the interfacial adhesive contribute to the rate-dependent peel-off force. For a fixed peeling rate, the peel-off force decreases with the increasing peeling angle. Increasing film thickness or substrate roughness leads to an increase of the peel-off force. Viscoelastic energy release rate in the present experiment can be further predicted by adopting a recently published theoretical model. It is shown that the energy release rate increases with the increase of peeling rates or peeling angles. The results in the present paper should be helpful for understanding the adhesion mechanism of a viscoelastic thin-film.

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Directional transportation on micro/nanostructure-arrayed surfaces driven by an external field has attracted increasing attention in numerous domains, and this has led to significant progress in this field. In this study, an efficient method for high-speed transportation of solid objects is proposed based on magnetically responsive microplate arrays with a high aspect ratio. The transport speed is approximately an order of magnitude higher than the existing value. In addition, the speed of the transported objects can be controlled appropriately by the speed of the magnet. Besides, objects with varying shapes and sizes can be transported in both air and water. Further investigation of the transport mechanism reveals a rapid release of the elastic strain energy stored in the microplate. Hence, using this energy, the object can bounce forward quickly. The proposed technique and design aid not only in studies on more efficient, intelligent, or even programmed micro/nanotransportation but also in micro/nanomanipulation.

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