New Biomaterials Inspired by Creatures of Nature
The first attempts have launched to bio-engineer protein biomaterials like those found in mussels and tree frogs to yield similar amazing wet adhesion in sealants, coatings, glues, and medical adhesives. Crucial proteins in these animals exhibit unique behaviors and chemical reactivity, and the NYU Tandon School of Engineering researchers are creating hydrogels that borrow certain key features of those proteins: the separation of a solution into two distinct liquids in response to external stimuli, the incorporation of nonstandard amino acids, and patterning, such as the polygonal pillars seen in the toe pads of tree frogs.
