Changing seawater hints at future for adhesives from ocean species

Animals such as mussels are able to stick to their environment -- literally. A scientist who studies ocean species to develop adhesives is now looking at the changing chemistry of seawater to see how it may affect the ability of mussels to adhere to their surroundings. The researcher is using these insights to design adhesives for consumer products.

Scientists who study ocean species are designing adhesives for consumer products. Photo: Purdue University

Jonathan Wilker, a Purdue University chemist and materials engineer, studies how mussels secrete sticky plaques for attaching to wet surfaces. Wilker and colleagues use these discoveries to create new, biomimetic adhesives for everything from electronics and vehicles to construction structures and cosmetics.

"Seeing a fairly direct correlation between seawater iron content and mussel adhesive performance provides us with ideas for designing new and robust synthetic materials," Wilker said.

The mussels' adhesive is rich in iron, which may help make the attachments strong and flexible. The team set out to test what happens when the animals are surrounded by different concentrations of iron.

"We wanted to understand how mussels' access to iron might influence the formation and performance of their adhesive systems," Wilker said.

The researchers grew animals in waters with low, regular and excess levels of iron. "We found that there was a general trend in which the strength of the mussels' adhesive tracked with iron levels in the surrounding seawater," Wilker said. "'When there was less iron, the glue was weaker. More iron than normal brought about the strongest bonding. At an extreme excess of iron, however, performance dropped."

As the oceans become more acidic, forms of iron transition from solid to dissolved, according to Wilker. "In the years to come, if less iron is in solid forms, these filter feeders will have difficulty capturing the iron they need for making their adhesive." (National Science Foundation)

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Rising temps put desert shrub in high-efficiency mode

Brittlebush is responding well to increased temperature and aridity.

For rufous hummingbirds, migration routes may differ

Flyways may ensure that birds have the resources they need on their journeys.

Bright Areas on Ceres Come From Salty Water Below

Data from NASA's recent Dawn mission answers two long-unresolved questions: Is there liquid inside Ceres, and how long ago was the dwarf planet geologically active?

New native Hawaiian land snail species discovered

Scientists at the Florida Museum of Natural History and other institutions have discovered a new native Hawaiian land snail species, sounding a rare, hopeful note in a story rife with extinction.

Researchers offer look into 'central engine' powering a solar flare

Researchers provide an unprecedented look inside the "central engine" of a large solar flare.

Novel, label-free imaging technique brings out the inner light in T cells

T cells are the immune soldiers at the frontline of the battle with infiltrating pathogens that seek to cause disease. A new study describes a novel, label-free imaging technique that can differentiate active T cells from those off duty.