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Abstract
In this paper, we report experimental measurements of normal adhesive force versus body displacement for living Tokay geckos (Gekko gecko) adhered to Poly(methyl meth acrylate) (PMMA) or glass surfaces. We have measured the normal adhesive force needed for reaching the gecko detachment. Atomic force and scanning electron microscopies are used to characterize the surfaces and feet topologies. The measured safety factors (maximum adhesive force divided by the body weight) are 10.23 on PMMA surfaces or 9.13 on glass surfaces. We have observed minor and reversible damage of the gecko feet caused by our tests, as well as the self-renewal of the gecko adhesive abilities after the moult.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to thank M. Nervo and M. Buono, DVM and SIVAE member, for the technical and veterinary aid. Also the authors are grateful to M. Biasotto of the Department of Special Surgery and F. Antoniolli of the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Trieste for their help in using the AFM. We gratefully acknowledge A. Chiodoni, Department of Physics, Politecnico of Torino, for the help in performing the FESEM micrographs. We thank the “2I3T Scarl – Incubatore dell'Università di Torino” for SEM imaging instruments and M.G. Faga, CNR-ISTEC member, Chemical Department IFM and NIS Centre of Excellence, University of Torino, for the help in performing the SEM micrographs. NMP is supported by “METROLOGY ON A CELLULAR AND MACROMOLECULAR SCALE FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE” – METREGEN (2009–2012).