Bioinspired Glue for Marine Applications
- Summary
- Shellfish are the natural experts of underwater adhesion. Organisms like mussels, barnacles, and oysters attach to underwater rocks with ease, yet man-made adhesives struggle significantly in wet environments. When submerged, glue interacts with water molecules prior to attaching to a surface. These interactions reduce the strength of the adhesive. However, the common blue mussel attaches itself via a mixture of atypical proteins cross-linked into an adhesive. By understanding this biological phenomenon, a similar, more effective product can be produced.
- Technology Benefits
- Stronger than natural mussel adhesive Stronger than commercial marine adhesives Stronger in saltwater
- Technology Application
- Underwater adhesive Construction and repair in marine and wet environments
- Detailed Technology Description
- Jonathan WilkerWilker Research GroupPurdue ChemistryJonathan WilkerPurdue Materials Engineering
- Countries
- United States
- Application No.
- None
- *Abstract
-
- *Background
- Shellfish are the natural experts of underwater adhesion. Organisms like mussels, barnacles, and oysters attach to underwater rocks with ease, yet man-made adhesives struggle significantly in wet environments. When submerged, glue interacts with water molecules prior to attaching to a surface. These interactions reduce the strength of the adhesive. However, the common blue mussel attaches itself via a mixture of atypical proteins cross-linked into an adhesive. By understanding this biological phenomenon, a similar, more effective product can be produced.
- *IP Issue Date
- None
- *IP Type
- Provisional
- *Stage of Development
- Prototype testing
- *Web Links
- Purdue Office of Technology CommercializationPurdueInnovation and EntrepreneurshipJonathan WilkerWilker Research GroupPurdue ChemistryJonathan WilkerPurdue Materials Engineering
- Country/Region
- USA
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