Mussel-Inspired Glue Adheres To Slippery Surfaces Submerged In Saltwater

Plants and Animals





Photo credit:

Mussels. Jonathan Wilker.

Despite waves and strong currents, creatures like mussels and barnacles stay cemented on rocks in the splash zone as well as on the pillars of piers and bottoms of boats thanks to their naturally endowed super stickiness. Now, researchers trying to better understand wet adhesion have turned to a molecule produced by bacteria. They discovered an effective combo of substances that can help “prime” underwater surfaces for an adherence that rivals that of mussels: The amino acid lysine acts as a primer for an adhesive chemical compound called catechol.