Gecko-foot-mimetic aligned single-walled carbon nanotube dry adhesives with unique electrical and thermal properties

Vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotube (VA-SWNT) arrays synthesized by a combined plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and fast heating method show a maximum achievable macroscopic adhesive force of 29 N cm(-2), which is the highest among all synthetic and natural gecko feet (10 N cm(-2)). This, together with the unique thermal and electric properties of SWNTs, represents a significant advance in developing new dry adhesives of electrical/thermal management capabilities for diverse potential applications, ranging from smart packaging to advanced electronic integration.