The Gecko® Approach to Friction: A Novel Teaching Learning Sequence

We here propose a novel teaching–learning sequence on tribology, based on the experimental investigation of Gecko® Nanoplast®, a bio-inspired micro-structured synthetic material with peculiar tribological properties. Measurements of static and dynamic friction show that Gecko® does not obey to Leonardo-Amontons’ law, thus providing a way to introduce the key concept of real—as opposed to nominal—contact area. As in ‘real’ material-science research, investigation of the Gecko® macroscopic behavior is combined with its structural determination, based on both optical microscopy observations and on diffraction measurements. The sequence has been tested on a group of honors high-school students with encouraging results.