Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Physicochemical Cues for the Design of Underwater Adhesives

Narayanan, Amal
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8159-6878
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1616164088200956

Abstract Details

2021, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, Polymer Science.
Adhesives are a vital part of our daily life. In the morning, we are awakened with alarm clocks that are stuck together by glues and at night, the smartphones we scroll through are assembled with adhesive interfaces. However, most of the commercial adhesives fail to adhere in the presence of moist air or water. This inability of manmade adhesives to stick in the presence of water is ironic, given that our body is stuck together with billions of adhesive joints in wet conditions. In the past, the presence of moisture and water was prevented at least until the curing of the adhesive. But, the recent advancements in tissue engineering, robotics, and electronics calls for adhesives that can stick in the presence of water for their performance in unprecedented environments. Though manmade adhesives fail to adhere in the presence of water, aquatic organisms such as mussels and sandcastle worms create robust underwater adhesives to sustain their life near tide-swept shores. Inspired by the adhesive mechanisms of aquatic organisms, herein we created three generations of underwater adhesives. The underwater adhesives created in this study are devoid of toxic organic solvents and crosslinkers to optimize the use in a biomedical setting. Using a combination of synthetic chemistry, interfacial adhesion measurements, spectroscopy, and simulations, a structure-underwater adhesion relationship was determined. It was found that parameters such as interfacial interactions, hydrophobicity, and viscosity of the adhesive are important while creating underwater adhesives.
Abraham Joy (Advisor)
Ali Dhinojwala (Committee Chair)
Mesfin Tsige (Committee Member)
Junpeng Wang (Committee Member)
Newby Bi-Min (Committee Member)
256 p.
Biomedical Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Chemistry; Condensation; Materials Science; Nanoscience; Nanotechnology; Organic Chemistry; Polymer Chemistry; Polymers
synthesis; polymer; adhesive; underwater adhesive; bioinspired materials; interfacial phenomenon; spectroscopy; rheology; biomimetics; coacervation; liquid-liquid phase separation; tissue adhesive; polyester; sum-frequency generation spectroscopy

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Narayanan, A. (2021). Physicochemical Cues for the Design of Underwater Adhesives [Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1616164088200956

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Narayanan, Amal. Physicochemical Cues for the Design of Underwater Adhesives. 2021. University of Akron, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1616164088200956.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Narayanan, Amal. "Physicochemical Cues for the Design of Underwater Adhesives." Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1616164088200956

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1616164088200956
68
© 2021, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.