LVACS September Meeting Co-hosted by Mussel Polymers, Inc.

116 Research Drive,Bethlehem PA 18015

15 September, 2022

Description

Our meeting theme is “Adhesives at the Beach: Characterization, Synthetic Mimics, and Commercialization of Marine Biological Materials” and is co-hosted by Mussel Polymers, Inc., a Ben Franklin Tech Ventures incubator start-up company. Prof. Jonathan Wilker, Purdue University, will describe how biological systems, such as mussels, barnacles and oysters, inspire his research group to discover new chemistries which can be applied in adhesion and other fields. Based on Jon's work, Mussel Polymers, Inc. develops adhesives and related systems for wet, high moisture, and low-energy surfaces. MPI's solutions are based on Poly Catechol Styrene (PCS), a proprietary synthetic polymer that mimics the structure of the natural adhesive used by mussels to anchor themselves to substrates in the ocean. The oceans are home to a diverse collection of animals producing intriguing materials. Mussels, barnacles, and oysters are examples of the many organisms generating adhesive matrices for affixing themselves to the sea floor. Our laboratory is characterizing these biological materials, designing synthetic polymer mimics, and developing applications. Characterization efforts include experiments with live animals, extracted proteins, and peptide models. Synthetic mimics of bioadhesives begin with the chemistry learned from characterization studies and incorporate the findings into polymers. For example, we can mimic the cross-linking of DOPA-containing adhesive proteins by placing monomers with pendant catechols into various polymer backbones. Adhesion strengths of these new polymers rival those of cyanoacrylate “super glues.” Substantial underwater bonding is also now possible. Long-term efforts include development of sustainably sourced materials to solve several environmental problems as well as creating a new generation of biomedical adhesives. Biography: Jonathan Wilker 1991: B.S. in Chemistry, University of Massachusetts at Amherst 1996: Ph.D. in Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1996-1999: Postdoc, California Institute of Technology Jon grew up in the Boston area and was often taken to the beach by his parents. Now a Professor of Chemistry and Materials Engineering at Purdue University, his research program revolves around materials generated by sea creatures. A particular focus is the adhesives produced by mussels and oysters for sticking themselves to rocks. Ongoing efforts include working to understand the nature of these marine biological materials, designing synthetic mimics, and developing applications including wet setting biomedical glues. Projects are often inspired by what is seen while out scuba diving.