In this work, we take previously developed gecko-foot-hair-inspired elastomer microfiber arrays with film-terminated and mushroom-shaped tips that have demonstrated enhanced adhesion with respect to unpatterned materials under dry conditions and coat them with synthetic DOPA-containing mussel-inspired polymers to enhance adhesion repeatedly in fully submerged wet environments. A new protocol for the development of this hybrid patterned, coated adhesive, which is suitable for use in contact with both wet and dry nonflat surfaces, is described. The experimental evaluation of repeatable adhesion under both wet and dry conditions for these materials is described and compared with unpatterned and/or uncoated materials. Macroscale reversible fibrillar adhesion enhancement on a nonflat, smooth glass surface when compared with unpatterned materials under fully submerged conditions is demonstrated with no suction effect.

To address the practical issues of polymer molecular weight determination, the first accurate polymer weight-average molecular weight determination method in diverse living/controlled polymerization via DOSY (diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy) is reported. Based on the linear correlation between the logarithm of diffusion coefficient (log D) and the molecular weights (log Mw), external calibration curves were created to give predictions of molecular weights of narrowly-dispersed polymers. This method was successfully applied to atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT), and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), with weight-average molecular weights given by this method closely correlated to those obtained from GPC measurement.

Chemical modification strategies to improve the mechanical properties of lignin-based polyurethanes are presented. We hypothesized that treatment of lignin with Lewis acids would increase the concentration of hydroxyl groups available to react with diisocyanate monomers. Under the conditions used, hydrogen bromide-catalyzed modification resulted in a 28% increase in hydroxyl group content. Associated increases in hydrophilicity of solvent-cast thin films were also recorded as evidenced by decreases in water contact angle. Polyurethanes were then prepared by first preparing a prepolymer based on mixtures of toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) and unmodified or modified lignin, then polymerization was completed through addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG), resulting in mass ratios of TDI:lignin:PEG of 43:17:40 in the compositions investigated here. The mixture of TDI and unmodified lignin resulted in a lignin powder at the bottom of the liquid, suggesting it did not react directly with TDI. However, a homogeneous solution resulted when TDI and the hydrogen bromide-treated lignin were mixed, suggesting demethylation indeed increased reactivity and resulted in better integration of lignin into the urethane network. Significant improvements in mechanical properties of modified lignin polyurethanes were observed, with a 6.5-fold increase in modulus, which were attributed to better integration of the modified lignin into the covalent polymer network due to the higher concentration of hydroxyl groups. This research indicates that chemical modification strategies can lead to significant improvements in the properties of lignin-based polymeric materials using a higher fraction of an inexpensive lignin monomer from renewable resources and a lower fraction an expensive, petroleum-derived isocyanate monomer to achieve the required material properties.

No abstract

A new three-component bio-inspired adhesive was synthesized that is a terpolymer composed of a water-soluble segment, an interfacial adhesion segment, and a cross-linking segment. Strong wet adhesion properties are obtained utilizing a 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA) moiety. Poly(acrylic acid) provides high water solubility due to strong ionic interactions with water. An acrylic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (NHS) was included in the adhesive polymer to allow rapid cross-linking with thiolterminated, 3-armed poly(ethylene glycol) cross-linking agents. The thiol terminal poly(ethylene glycol) was designed to be bulky to avoid possible penetration of molecules to the cell and tissue. The NHS and thiol groups react within 30 s to form covalent bonds. This design allows for rapid optimization of properties for specific applications. Lap shear strength tests on wet porcine skin demonstrated a 190% increased value in adhesion strength for adhesives having the DOPA moiety. After cross-linking, adhesion was enhanced by 450% over poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylic acid NHS) and was 240% higher than un-cross-linked poly(acrylic acid-coacrylic acid NHS-co-N-methacryloyl-3,4-dihydroxyl-L-phenylalanine). Rheology studies show adhesive viscosity drops significantly at high shear rates, demonstrating its potential to be injected via syringe. The cross-linked adhesive displayed much stronger mechanical properties and higher elastic and viscous moduli than an un-cross-linked adhesive model. Furthermore, the cross-linked adhesive has enhanced moduli near body temperature (38 °C) as compared to room temperature (23 °C), increasing the applications as a biomedical adhesive.

We present a study on the effects of cross-linking on the adhesive properties of bio-inspired 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA). DOPA has a unique catechol moiety found in adhesive proteins in marine organisms, such as mussels and polychaete, which results in strong adhesion in aquatic conditions. Incorporation of this functional group in synthetic polymers provides the basis for pressure-sensitive adhesives for use in a broad range of environments. A series of cross-linked DOPA-containing polymers were prepared by adding divinyl cross-linking agent ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) to monomer mixtures of dopamine methacrylamide (DMA) and 2-methoxyethyl acrylate (MEA). Samples were prepared using a solvent-free microwave-assisted polymerization reaction and compared to a similar series of cross-linked MEA materials. Cross-linking with EGDMA tunes the viscoelastic properties of the adhesive material and has the advantage of not reacting with the catechol group that is responsible for the excellent adhesive performance of this material. Adhesion strength was measured by uniaxial indentation tests, which indicated that 0.001 mol % of EGDMA-cross-linked copolymer showed the highest work of adhesion in dry conditions, but non-cross-linked DMA was the highest in wet conditions. The results suggest that there is an optimal cross-linking degree that displays the highest adhesion by balancing viscous and elastic behaviors of the polymer but this appears to depend on the conditions. This concentration of cross-linker is well below the theoretical percolation threshold, and we propose that subtle changes in polymer viscoelastic properties can result in significant improvements in adhesion of DOPA-based materials. The properties of lightly cross-linked poly(DMA-co-MEA) were investigated by measurement of the frequency dependence of the storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G''). The frequency-dependence of G' and magnitude of G'' showed gradual decreases with the fraction of EGDMA. Loosely cross-linked DMA copolymers, containing 0% and 0.001 mol % of EGDMA-cross-linked copolymers, displayed rheological behavior appropriate for pressure-sensitive adhesives characterized by a higher G' at high frequencies and lower G' at low frequencies. Our results indicate that dimethacrylate cross-linking of DMA copolymers can be used to enhance the adhesive properties of this unique material.

There is a need for renewable resources as a raw material for commodity polymers. Lignin is one of the most important natural biopolymers from renewable resources due to its suffi cient supply, robust material properties and the fact that its use does not compete with the food supply. Lignin has been investigated since the late 19th century, but its applications are limited due to poor processability, low reactivity and intrinsic heterogeneity depending on the plant source and isolation methods used. Current strategies for using lignin in modern materials center on integrating it with other natural or synthetic polymers. This review article introduces the technological importance of lignin and focuses on copolymers and blends based on lignin in a broad range of applications.

Lignin is an important source of synthetic materials because of its abundance in nature, low cost, stable supply, and no competition to the human food supply. Lignin, a crosslinked phenolic polymer, contains a large number of aromatic groups that can be used as a substitute for petroleum-based aromatic fine chemicals. However, modification of lignin is necessary for its application in advanced materials due to its chemically inert nature and structural complexity. Polymeric modification of lignin via graft copolymerization represents an important avenue for modification because this method forms stable covalent bond linkages between lignin and synthetic functional polymers. In this review, we discuss recent synthetic strategies toward polymeric modification of lignin using graft copolymerization and the special properties and applications of the produced lignin copolymers.