Multiphase adhesive coacervates inspired by the Sandcastle worm.

ABSTRACT: Water-borne, underwater adhesives were created by complex coacervation of synthetic copolyelectrolytes that mimic the proteins of the natural underwater adhesive of the sandcastle worm. To increase bond strengths, we created a second polymer network within cross-linked coacervate network by entrapping polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEG-dA) monomers in the coacervate phase. Simultaneous polymerization of PEG-dA and cross-linking of the coacervate network resulted in maximum shear bond strengths of ∼1.2 MPa. Approximately 40% of the entrapped PEG-dA polymerized based on attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The monomer-filled coacervate had complex flow behavior, thickening at low shear rates and then thinning suddenly with a 16-fold drop in viscosity at shea

SUBMITTER: Kaur S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3083470 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature