Northwestern University researchers managed to combine the grabbing power of gecko feet with the stickiness of mussels to create a material that will attach to almost anything, wet or dry, with incredible adhesiveness. Considering the presence of blood during surgical operations, the new glue can lead to an array of medical applications.
“I [Phillip Messersmith, associate professor of biomedical engineering –ed.] envision that adhesive tapes made out of geckel could be used to replace sutures for wound closure, and may also be useful as a water-resistant adhesive for bandages and drug-delivery patches,” said Professor Phillip Messersmith from Northwestern University in Evanston, near Chicago, US.
“Such a bandage would remain firmly attached to the skin during bathing but would permit easy removal upon healing.”
Other research teams claim they have already produced a gecko-inspired material that works underwater.
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