Patent ID: 7056409

Claim:
A method of joining two or more articles, the method comprising: i) providing a first article having at least a first surface; ii) providing at least a second article having at least a first surface; and, iii) providing a layer of silicon nanofibers disposed between the first surface of the first article and the first surface of the at least second article, whereby the nanofibers contact the first surface of the first article at a plurality of contact points and the first surface of the at least second article at a plurality of contact points, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of nanofibers contacts the first surface of the first and second articles on a side surface of said nanofibers wherein the contacting creates van der Waals forces between the nanofibers and the first surface of the first and second articles, such that the van der Waals forces between the nanofibers and the first surface of the first article and the first surface of the at least second article are sufficient to adhere the articles together.