Japanese paper-cutting art, known as kirigami, is an ancient technique used to create art. It’s a very straightforward technique that involves cutting paper to create a reliably strong, but aesthetically pleasing, fragile piece of paper art. Now, this process is being applied to make super-strong tape.
Kirigami is a variation of origami, the Japanese art of folding paper. The paper is cut and folded in Kirigami, resulting in a three-dimensional design that stands away from the page. Kirigami typically does not use glue.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have adapted this technique and applied it to their developments to make sticky tape much stronger. Aside from being stronger, the researchers created a sticky tape that was easier to remove than the conventional super-adhesives.
This tape is said to be 60 times stronger than conventional tape, but it is still easier to remove than regular types. This provides a more versatile use case as more people could hold things together temporarily without worrying about removing the tape later.
The super tape can be used for many things, like fixing household items or ensuring a package has a reliable seal before it’s mailed. This technology also prevents surfaces from tearing away so as not to damage the surface.
If you’re curious how the researchers came up with the technology to create such sticky tape, check out this article to learn more about how they adapted the ancient Japanese paper-cutting art.
Let’s learn more about its use cases.
Uses for strong and super-sticky tape
The super tape was developed by Michael Bartlett, a Virginia Tech University professor who successfully increased the adhesive bond while making it more removable. The professor explained that the paradoxical combination was due to how it used an ancient technique.
Professor Bartlett said the tape’s properties could have enormous implications in different applications. These included robotic grasping, health monitoring, recycling assembly or manufacturing, and other fields.
The development of sticky tape
Sticky masking tape was first developed in the 1920s to help a car painter who needed more vehicle painting options. The painter wanted to paint two colors on vehicles, and since then, factories have been manufacturing these adhesives at scale.
From basic tapes came more types, which all had different use cases as well. These included invisible tapes used for present wrapping or electrical tapes with a more technical use and allowing users to wrap wires.
Another type includes duct tape, which has a more versatile approach and provides a more permanent fixing. However, the problem with duct tape is that it’s tough to remove, sometimes resulting in damage when taken off.
Professor Bertlett explained the differences in the types of tapes, saying strong adhesives are usually more difficult to peel, while reusable adhesives aren’t too strong. He said the latter used a “strength-limiting separation” approach.
What made sticky tape different
It was noted that the sticky tape differed in how it used kirigami-inspired techniques. The process involved making snowflakes, which was done through folding and cutting.
This was what was used by Professor Berlett to control the “separation path.” To do this, they made a series of U-shaped cuts on the adhesive and realized that the cuts made the bond 60 times stronger through its application.
It was noted that in specific locations, the cuts on the adhesive could force a separation path to reverse, called the reverse crack propaganda, which made the adhesive strong.
However, the adhesive with U-shaped cuts became much easier to peel off by peeling in the opposite direction. They described this as “unusual behavior,” but it was still essential in making the tape stronger yet more releasable.
Can kirigami be applied to all tape types?
The answer is yes. Professor Bretlett explained that making the U-shaped cuts could be applied to any tape, not just specific ones.
This meant anybody could cut out U-shapes on any tape to strengthen its bond. When it needs to be removed, people can peel it going the opposite direction of the bottom of the U-shaped cuts.
It’s important to note that the U-shaped cuts also need to be heading in one direction and should likely be uniform in size, orientation, and pattern. This would make the tape much easier to remove and much stronger.
Dohgyu Hwang, a graduate researcher, said that the most critical factor of the adhesive was the cut’s shape and size. They noted that they didn’t rely on specific materials, just the cutting technique to strengthen the adhesive.
Professor Bretlett also noted that they used a digital fabrication approach to create custom strengths for different adhesives. This would also give them more control over their strength.
Conclusion
This sticky tape, which resulted in 60 times more strength than regular types, was achieved with an ancient Japanese cutting technique. Instead of experimenting with different types, they found a method to apply to any form.
This means that hypothetically, anyone could try the technique themselves at home. However, it’s important to note that the researchers had everything down to a T, with the right equipment to ensure that each cut was uniform and perfectly fit the tape itself.
While origami involves folding paper, kirigami also allows users to cut the paper.
