Abstract: A method of forming synthetic dry adhesives is provided that includes using a combined wedge indenting and orthogonal machining process to form tapered mold cavities in a mold, filling the tapered mold cavities with an elastomeric adhesive, curing the elastomeric adhesive in the tapered mold cavities, and removing the elastomeric adhesive from the mold, where a plurality of tapered lamellar ridges extend from a surface of the elastomeric adhesive.

Abstract: A method of forming synthetic dry adhesives is provided that includes using a combined wedge indenting and orthogonal machining process to form tapered mold cavities in a mold, filling the tapered mold cavities with an elastomeric adhesive, curing the elastomeric adhesive in the tapered mold cavities, and removing the elastomeric adhesive from the mold, where a plurality of tapered lamellar ridges extend from a surface of the elastomeric adhesive.

Abstract: A method of separating particles is provided that includes exposing a selective PDMS adhesive to a particle-contaminated surface, where the selective PDMS adhesive captures particles present on the particle-contaminated surface to form a fouled selective PDMS adhesive, and exposing the fouled selective PDMS adhesive to a PDMS transfer sheet, where particles outside of a desired range are transferred over to the PDMS transfer sheet, where the fouled selective PDMS adhesive retains only the particles of a desired range.

Abstract: A method of forming synthetic dry adhesives is provided that includes using a wedge-shaped tool to form mold cavities in a mold, filling the mold cavities with an elastomeric adhesive, removing the elastomeric adhesive from the mold, where a tapered lamellar ridge extends from a surface of the elastomeric adhesive, treating a tip of the extending ridge with a film of uncured elastomeric material, and curing the film of uncured material while the extending ridge is pressed against a substrate surface having a smoothness or texture. The synthetic dry adhesive comprises a close-packed array of tapered lamellar ridges, where the centerline of a ridge is angled relative to a direction normal to the synthetic dry adhesive and the cross section includes an internal taper. The tapered ridge bends when it contacts a surface, whereupon the radius of curvature of the ridge increases monotonically with increasing shear load.