Detaching speed of a fibrillar interface

Considering elastic energy stored in the fibrillar structure recoverable, we provide different initial and dynamic fracture toughnesses for a fibrillar interface to reconcile the contradiction existing in literature. A theory on the speed of a semi-infinite crack propagating along a fibrillar interface is then developed, which is used to estimate the speed of gecko toe detachment. The predicted time interval for gecko toe detachment is less than a few milliseconds.

Detaching speed of a fibrillar interface Journal Articles