Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

The proposed Strategic Research Project establishes collaboration between researchers at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and the supporting organizations to develop an innovative bonding technology. The supporting organizations have a critical and strategic need for a bonding material that allows quick and efficient attachment of portable devices to surfaces with different compositions and roughness, and that leaves no trace of the bonding material when the device is removed. The bonding technology proposed in this Strategic Project takes its inspiration from - and further enhances - a solution present in nature: a gecko's dry adhesion. Geckos have compliant micro and nano structures on their toes, which allow them to attach to many different surfaces and crawl up walls and across ceilings. Currently there are no engineered (synthetic) dry adhesives that can be manufactured cost-effectively to have the same adhesion strength as a gecko and perform as well as a gecko on the same large variety of surface roughness and composition. We therefore propose a completely new manufacturing process for dry adhesives, which will enable fabrication of dry adhesives that can simultaneously stick to rough surfaces, can be fabricated in large sheets, and are inexpensive to manufacture. This project meets the criteria of the NSERC Strategic Target Area 3, Manufacturing, since it focuses on the development of new and competitive technological advancements in material design and fabrication and on the development of cost-effective manufacturing processes for improved flexibility andproductivity. This project is aligned with the Target Area's first Research Topic: Material Systems. Specifically, it concerns both the ""development of smart materials and structures with properties that can be significantly changed in a controlled fashion by external stimuli"" and ""development or improvement of joining techniques and technologies"". The proposed technology has the potential to revolutionize the use of signs and portable security devices. Canada will benefit as the Canadian-based companies will expand and boost the Canadian economy, and the Canadian signage and security markets will benefit through improved services.