Adhesives have long been sought for applications ranging from industrial to biomedical. As the search for high strength, durable glues continues, inspiration for one such class of materials comes from the seas. At the beach there a variety of animals, including mussels, attaching tightly to rocks. The adhesive of these shellfish contains a unique amino acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), bringing about protein cross-linking and curing. As we learn how marine biology makes glues, these insights can be used to design new synthetic materials. To mimic the cross-linking chemistry of DOPA proteins, poly[(3,4-dihydroxystyrene-co-styrene] is synthesized via anionic polymerization. Addition of cross-linkers to these catechol-functionalized polymers are being examined to determine the effects upon bulk adhesive bonding. Additional parameters under investigation include molecular weight, cure time, cure temperature, and the addition of fillers. With these systematic studies we are finding adhesive performance greater than that of commercial cyanoacrylate products (e.g., Krazy Glue). Blends of polymers with multiple molecular weights are being targeted synthetically to mimic the variety of proteins found in mussel adhesive plaques. Interestingly, increases of adhesion strength are being found for these blends when compared to the individual polymers. These studies are showing how biology makes adhesives as well as helping us to design new biomimetic polymers.

Cross-linking chemistry in synthetic polymer mimics of mussel adhesive proteins

246th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.