Saturday, August 30, 2025
Science
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Scienmag
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News Technology and Engineering

Adding “Mussel” to META-GLUE

August 21, 2024
in Technology and Engineering
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
M. Ravi Shankar
65
SHARES
593
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

Two researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are utilizing their expertise in hydrogels and liquid crystal elastomers – as well as inspiration from Mother Nature – to design a more effective and powerful adhesive for gluing structures underwater.

M. Ravi Shankar

Credit: Swanson School of Engineering

Two researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are utilizing their expertise in hydrogels and liquid crystal elastomers – as well as inspiration from Mother Nature – to design a more effective and powerful adhesive for gluing structures underwater.

The proposal for META GLUE – Molecularly Engineered Toughness to Augment Grip Likelihood in Underwater Environments – recently received a $251,981 first-year seedling award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Principal investigator is M. Ravi Shankar, professor of industrial engineering at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, and he is joined by Qihan Liu, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and materials science.

“Although modern science has developed several glues that work underwater, these adhesives struggle to perform as well as those operating under dry conditions. Intimate bonding is prevented by entrapment of water and those that do form are stressed by oxidation, pressure, salinity, and other factors,” Shankar explains. “However, bivalves have fascinated humans since antiquity for their ability to not only effectively adhere to underwater surfaces, but also withstand crashing waves and tremendous forces to hitch rides around the world.

“Only recently has science understood how these bioadhesives work. Our approach is to assimilate these features in highly architected synthetic systems, where we design-in capabilities that potentially outperform living systems.”

Specifically, Shankar and Liu are applying these mussel-inspired chemistries to explore the interplay between elasticity, hydrodynamics, and capillarity to optimize adhesives at the molecular level. The two are focused on exploiting chemical phenomena presented by plaque proteins that the mussel “foot” uses to adhere to surfaces in a matter of minutes. Their project seeks to exploit these biochemical phenomena in liquid crystal elastomers (LCE) designed with precisely controlled microstructures.

“This technology is not only critical for strengthening underwater infrastructure such as platforms and piping but could also be adapted for use in surgeries or other fluidic environments,” Liu said. “Biomimicry has helped to transform materials science by helping us apply the chemistries of natural life.”

###



Share26Tweet16
Previous Post

Distinguished Professor at Oregon State University honored for career in artificial intelligence

Next Post

Unveiling GlycoRNA: New study proves they do exist

Related Posts

blank
Technology and Engineering

Exploring Cutting-Edge Techniques for Leaf Disease Detection

August 30, 2025
blank
Technology and Engineering

Enhancing Archery Arrow Selection: Importance of Stiffness

August 30, 2025
blank
Technology and Engineering

Transforming Office Waste into Sustainable Cellulose

August 30, 2025
blank
Technology and Engineering

Two-Vehicle Communication Boosts Autonomous Traffic Sixfold

August 30, 2025
blank
Technology and Engineering

Hybrid PSO-Firefly Optimization for Feature Selection

August 30, 2025
blank
Technology and Engineering

Opuntia Ficus Indica: Health Benefits and Protective Properties

August 30, 2025
Next Post
GlycoRNA

Unveiling GlycoRNA: New study proves they do exist

  • Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    27542 shares
    Share 11014 Tweet 6884
  • University of Seville Breaks 120-Year-Old Mystery, Revises a Key Einstein Concept

    955 shares
    Share 382 Tweet 239
  • Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance

    642 shares
    Share 257 Tweet 161
  • Researchers record first-ever images and data of a shark experiencing a boat strike

    509 shares
    Share 204 Tweet 127
  • Warm seawater speeding up melting of ‘Doomsday Glacier,’ scientists warn

    313 shares
    Share 125 Tweet 78
Science

Embark on a thrilling journey of discovery with Scienmag.com—your ultimate source for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity knows no limits and tomorrow’s possibilities become today’s reality!

RECENT NEWS

  • Tracing Chinese Political Discourse and Ideological Shifts
  • Enhancing Photoluminescence in Algae for Improved Photosynthesis
  • Impact of Adult Obesity in Asia-Pacific Revealed
  • Enhancing Serbian Health System: A Continuous Improvement Journey

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Athmospheric
  • Biology
  • Blog
  • Bussines
  • Cancer
  • Chemistry
  • Climate
  • Earth Science
  • Marine
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Pediatry
  • Policy
  • Psychology & Psychiatry
  • Science Education
  • Social Science
  • Space
  • Technology and Engineering

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,182 other subscribers

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Discover more from Science

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading