Mussels Inspire Stronger, Stretchier Polymer

Nov-03-17 The marine mussel has inspired a new method of manufacturing stronger and more elastic polymers.

A polymer can be made stronger by increasing the chemical cross-links that bind the polymer strands, but that, in turn, will reduce the material’s elasticity.

Inspired by the polymeric threads secreted by mussels to attach themselves to rocks, the research team at the University of California, Santa Barbara created a polymer material featuring a dynamic iron-catechol network that forms the cross-links. When one of the cross-links breaks, the reversible iron-catechol links can reform, maintaining the material’s resiliency. The material will also resume its original shape slowly, rather than ‘snapping back,’ which could make it very useful as a protective coating, such as for cell phones or even body armor.

Image: Artistic rendering of a polymer toughened by marine mussel-inspired chemistry (UCSB)

More Info about this Invention:

[NEWSCIENTIST.COM]
[PHYS.ORG]

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