Innovative sticky coating mimics mussels: study

0 Comments | AFP, October, 2007

CHICAGO (AFP) — US researchers have developed a cheap and simple technique to coat virtually any object, from catheters to contact lenses, by mimicking the adhesive quality of mussels, a study to be released Thursday said.

The investigators say the technology could potentially be used in a range of industrial applications, from adding protective coatings to medical devices and underwater structures, to engineering consumer electronics with flexible, bendable displays.

In laboratory tests, the polymer coating stuck to 25 different substances, from Teflon to cellulose and acrylic, suggesting that this biologically-inspired coating is much more versatile than many of those currently available.

"Existing methods for modifying material surfaces are fairly...