A new type of glue developed by researchers from MIT and Germany combines sticky polymers inspired by mussels with the properties of fighting germs of other natural material: the mucos.
To stick to a rock or a ship, the mussels secrete a fluid full of proteins connected by chemical cross bonds. As happens, similar reticulation characteristics are found in the mucin, a large protein that, in addition to water, is the main component of mucus. George Degen, a postdoc in the MIT mechanical engineering department and co -author of a paper At work, he wondered if polymers inspired by mussels could be linked to chemical groups in mucin.
To test this idea, he combined natural mucin protein solutions with polymers inspired by synthetic mussels and observed how the resulting mixture solidified and stuck to the surfaces over time.
“It’s like a two -part epoxy. You combine two liquids together, and chemistry begins to occur so that the liquid solidifies while the substance sticks simultaneously to the surface,” says Degen.
The resulting gel adheres strongly even wet surfaces while avoiding the accumulation of bacteria. Researchers imagine that it could be injected or sprinkled like a liquid, which would soon become a sticky gel. The material can cover medical implants, for example, to help prevent infection. The approach could also be adapted to incorporate other natural materials such as keratin, which could be used in sustainable packaging materials.
