Scientists Discover Formula for Spider-man Suit

Climbing up a tall skyscraper, Spider-man-style, may soon be a thing of reality thanks to some physicists at the Polytechnic of Turin, Italy.

A recent press release of The Institute of Physics revealed that some physicists may have found a formula for a Spiderman suit. According to the article, scientists have just recently understood how spiders and geckos can scuttle up a wall or hang from ceilings but scientists doubt that humans could ever use this natural form of adhesion since it wouldn't be strong enough to hold an average human's weight.

The Institute of Physics revealed that what causes the natural adhesion of spiders and other wall-creeping animals is actually called van der Waals forces. Van der Waals forces, according to the article, is the weak attraction that molecules have when they are brought very close together. On spiders, it is the tiny hairs on their feet that attract to the molecules of surfaces.

The discovery of the van der Waals forces has been taken one step further by Professor Nicola Pugno, engineer and physicist at Polytechnic of Turin, Italy. Pugno has formulated a hierarchy of adhesive forces that can be strong enough to suspend a person's bodyweight against a wall or ceiling and can also be easily detached.

The Press release stated that to create a microscopic Velcro, nano-molecular hooks and loops could be used together with van der Waals forces and capillary adhesion. Carbon nanotube-based technology could be used in order to develop this detachable, adhesive force.

Pugno stated that applications for their theory range from space exploration and defense, to designing gloves and shoes for window cleaners of big skyscrapers. Pugno further added, "With the idea for the adhesion now in place, there are a number of other mechanics that need addressing before the Spiderman suit can become a reality. Size-effects on the adhesion strength require further research. Moreover, man's muscles, for example, are different to those of a gecko. We would suffer great muscle fatigue if we tried to stick to a wall for many hours. However now that we are this step closer, it may not be long before we are seeing people climbing up the Empire State Building with nothing but sticky shoes and gloves to support them."

This is not the first time that a Spiderman suit will be made. According to an article by The Guardian Unlimited, BAE systems has also been in on the quest to develop a Spiderman suit and just last year, the company announced that it was developing a material called Synthetic Gecko a patch of fabric which, according to the company, is capable of hoisting one car into the air.

SOURCE:

Institute of Physics press release, now it's not just Spiderman that can scale the empire state building. Nanotech-now.com. URL: (http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=24699)

Ian Sample, Sticky study brings suit of Spider-Man nearer reality. The Guardian. URL: (http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/aug/29/sciencenews?gusrc=rss&feed=technology)