Deciphering how the viscoelastic properties of mussel-inspired metal-coordinate hydrogels dictate their adhesive and interfacial mechanics

In the world of adhesives, tunable viscoelasticity and adhesion to wet surfaces are two highly desirable properties. Mussels have already mastered both of these properties within the threads they create to anchor themselves in harsh intertidal conditions (collectively called the byssus). The key to both the mussel's ability to stick to a wide variety of surfaces and the highly energy-dissipative viscoelastic behavior of its byssal threads is a type of reversible bonding called metal-ligand coordination, which is comprised of amino acid functional groups binding to metal ions. Recently, researchers have incorporated metal-coordinate cross-links into various types of polymeric networks to improve their mechanical properties, particularly toughness, self-healing, and adhesion. However, there is not as much fundamental understanding of how the linear viscoelastic properties of these networks dictate adhesive behavior, both cohesively and at an interface.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Lai, Erica L.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Niels Holten-Andersen

• Materials Science and Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/127698

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/127698