Bioinspired underwater glues

Prof. dr. Marleen Kamperman, chair of the Polymer Science group at ZIAM, and her colleagues from Wageningen University and Research have succeeded in developing an injectable adhesive that is able to glue a variety of surfaces together, even under water. Water usually weakens the mechanical properties of glue and it limits the contact between the glue and the surfaces you want to stick together. Kamperman's glue is based on oppositely charged polymers, forming a so-called coacervate phase, which doesn't suffer from these limitations. The research was inspired by underwater creatures such as mussels and sandcastle worms, who apply the same trick e.g. to stay put in strong currents. Kamperman intends to develop these glues further for surgical usage, e.g. to replace harsher techniques such as suturing or stapling.

Read the full story here, or follow the link to the scientific publication:

https://www.wur.nl/en/news-wur/Show/New-bioinspired-glue-bonds-any-surface-underwater.htm

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adma.201808179