Recent advances in Gecko-inspired adhesive materials and application

Gecko’s amazing ability to adhere to almost any kind of surface has stirred significantly research interests over the last decade. There have been a series of researches in the field of Gecko-inspired adhesives with numerous new studies focusing on nanostructured fibrillar, adhesive properties based on different materials, and various applications. In this review, after an initial overview of the conventional materials used to fabricate adhesives, including synthetic polymers and carbon nanotube arrays, we concentrate on the presentation and discussion of current research fields and significant properties of Gecko-inspired adhesives. Several examples of advanced applications for Gecko-inspired adhesives in practical life are also demonstrated in the end. This paper aims to provide a summary of Gecko-inspired adhesives from a comprehensive perspective.