Mussel Inspired Sticky Gels

Natural adhesives, including the glue produced by shellfish like this mussel, have remarkable properties that researchers are now duplicating in the lab. 

Mussels generate their own self healing sticky material, which is capable of rapidly reforming adhesive bonds after a sticky thread has been broken. These natural glues are vital for attaching them to rocks The sticky gel attached to this mussel was created in the laboratory to closely duplicate the characteristics of the natural variety. 

Related Abstract

  Bio-mimetic metal-ligand crosslinks yield self-healing polymer networks with near-covalent elastic moduli

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Reporters may freely use this image. Credit format: Image courtesy of Tara Fadenrecht (2011).