Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026

Synthesis of Strong Adhesive Hydrogel, Gelatin O-Nitrosobenzaldehyde
Published on: November 11, 2022
Ambivalent Adhesives: Combining Biomimetic Cross-Linking With Antiadhesive Oligo(ethylene glycol)
Cristina R Matos-Pérez1, Jonathan J Wilker
1Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907.
Abstract:
Oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) exhibit several desirable properties including biocompatibility and resistance to fouling by protein adsorption. Still needed are surgical glues and orthopedic cements, among several other materials, that display similar traits. However the very lack of interactions with other molecules that prevents toxicity and fouling also makes adhesion elusive. In work described here the cross-linking chemistry of marine mussel adhesive is combined with OEG to make a family of terpolymers. The effect of polymer composition upon bulk adhesion was examined. High strength bonding was found with a subset of the polymers containing appreciable OEG content. These structure-property insights may help the design of new materials for which the properties of OEG and high strength adhesion are both being sought.
More Related Videos
12:22Synthesis of Thermogelling Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-graft-chondroitin Sulfate Composites with Alginate Microparticles for Tissue Engineering
Published on: October 26, 2016
08:40TAPE: A Biodegradable Hemostatic Glue Inspired by a Ubiquitous Compound in Plants for Surgical Application
Published on: June 8, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...
Adhesion
Capillary action is a result of water’s adhesive tendencies. When a narrow glass...
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Cell Adhesion in Plants
Pectins are complex heteropolymers mainly composed of negatively-charged α-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid and some neutral glycosyl residues such as α-L-rhamnopyranose, α-L-arabinofuranose, and...