Japanese University Develops Strong Adhesive by Mimicking Natural Bonding Mechanisms

With a focus on the highly effective bonding mechanisms found in living organisms in the natural world, Daisuke Kaneko, an associate professor at the Kyushu Institute of Technology, has worked on the creation of a naturally based, safe adhesive, and succeeded in developing a high-performance polymer adhesive in December 2012. This polymer is expected to be used for a wide variety of applications, including dental adhesives.

The associate professor was inspired by the natural adhesion of mussels and lacquer-tree sap, which is strong and stable even in water. With only naturally derived substances, such as polyphenols, as starting materials, he tried to create a safe, environmentally friendly polymer adhesive. This led to the creation of the new adhesive polymer resin, which is comparable to epoxy adhesives, one of the most effective adhesives currently available for industrial use.

The new adhesive polymer resin is safe for humans and the environment, and offers high-strength adhesion to various surface materials, regardless of their organic or inorganic nature. Furthermore, molecular design for specific applications is possible because it is a bottom-up type polymer. This innovative adhesive developed by mimicking natural adhesion has potential application in numerous fields.

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