An experimental study of double-peeling mechanism inspired by biological adhesive systems

Double- (or multiple-) peeling systems consist of two (or numerous) tapes adhering to a substrate and having a common hinge, where the pulling force is applied. Biological systems, consisting of tape-like (or spatula-like) contact elements, are widely observed in adhesive pads of flies, beetles, spiders, and geckos. It was previously hypothesized and analytically modeled that the simultaneous use of two or more such tape-like contacts in the opposite movement of contralateral legs during ceiling locomotion leads to enhanced, robust, and stable overall attachment, if compared to independently working contact points. In this paper, this biological solution for smart adhesion is demonstrated in an experiment using elastic adhesive tapes. The obtained results not only aided in explaining the functional mechanism of biological adhesive systems, but also in providing an experimental proof for biological observations and previous theoretical models.