Biological adhesives and fastening devices

摘要

Sea creatures are a leading source to some of the more interesting discoveries in adhesives. Because sea water naturallybreaks down even the strongest conventional adhesive, an alternative is important that could be used in repairing orfabricating anything that might have regular contact with moisture such as: Repairing broken and shattered bones,developing a surgical adhesive, use in the dental work, repairing and building ships, and manufacturing plywood. Someof nature's prototypes include the common mussel, limpet, some bacteria and abalone. As we learn more about theseadhesives we are also developing non adhesive fasteners, such as mimicked after studying the octopus, burdock burrs(i.e. Velcro®) and the gecko.© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.