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SUMMARY:Bioinspired adhesive coacervates. - Marleen Kamperman\, Wageningen
  University\, Netherlands
DTSTART:20170425T130000Z
DTEND:20170425T140000Z
UID:TALK72152@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr David Labonte
DESCRIPTION:The adhesive secretions of marine animals such as P. californi
 ca and M. edulis combine covalent and non-covalent interactions to afford 
 strong underwater adhesion. Characteristic of the proteins found in the ad
 hesive plaque of mussels and sandcastle worms is a high proportion of cati
 onic\, anionic and catecholic residues (hydroxylated tyrosine\, DOPA). DOP
 A is involved in a versatile combination of functions: covalent crosslinki
 ng\, complexation to mineral substrates\, and bonding to hydrophobic (foul
 ed) surfaces. The anionic and cationic residues are often said to be invol
 ved in a secondary interaction that aids cohesion\, namely complex coacerv
 ation. This is an attractive phase separation of mixtures of polyanions an
 d polycation that results in a highly polyelectrolyte-rich phase in equili
 brium with almost pure solvent.\nComplex coacervates have very low surface
  tensions\, which makes them highly desirable as non-water soluble adhesiv
 e agents. Additionally\, they are mechanically very well-suited to adhesio
 n due to their high storage and loss moduli that provide\, respectively\, 
 bonding strength and dissipation of strain. In this study\, we aim at repr
 oducing the working mechanism of mussels and sandcastle worms by developin
 g a new class of underwater adhesives based on complex coacervates reinfor
 ced with physical interactions.
LOCATION:Kapitza Building Seminar Room (16)\, Cavendish Laboratory\, Depar
 tment of Physics
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