Boston Ivy Disk‐Inspired Pressure‐Mediated Adhesive Film Patches

Abstract

Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) climbs brick walls using its tendril disks, which excrete a sticky substance to perform binding and attachment. While the cellular structures and adhesive substances involved have been identified for decades, their practical applicability as an adhesive has not yet been demonstrated. A Boston ivy disk‐inspired adhesive film patch system is reported in which structural and compositional features of the Boston ivy disk are mimicked with a form of thin adhesive film patches. In analogy to the sticky disk of a mature ivy in which porous microchannels are occupied by catechol‐containing microgranules on the bound site, 3,4‐dihydroxylphenylalanine bolaamphiphile nanoparticle (DOPA‐C7 NP)‐coated alginate microgels are two‐dimensionally positioned into the cylindrical holes that are periodically micropatterned on the flexible stencil film. Finally, it is demonstrated that the pressurization of the patch breaks the microgels filled in the holes, releasing the polysaccharides and leading to crosslinking with DOPA‐C7 NPs via ligandation with combined Ca2+ and Fe3+ ions, thus enabling development of a pressure‐mediated adhesion technology.

Electrochemistry‐Induced Improvements of Mechanical Strength, Self‐Healing, and Interfacial Adhesion of Hydrogels

“…The adhesion of the suckers follows the below processes: 1) a flowable mucus generates from the pores, which is delivered to the substrates by tubes; 2) after building a contact with the substrate, a series of chemical reactions occur between the sucker and the substrate, which consume nitrogen inside the sucker and oxygen between the sucker and the substrate; 3) the gas consumption results in a negative pressure condition in the interface, which thus improves the adhesion between the suckers and substrates. [28] Similar to the suckers of Boston ivy (Figure 4a), water inside the PAAm@κ-carrageenan hydrogel acted as a flowable mucus. Upon the soft hydrogel contacting with the smooth substrate (glass slide), its porous network delivered water to the substrate to build a primary adhesion interaction.…”

“…The concept on electrochemistry-improved adhesion between hydrogel and a smooth surface was from the adhesion mechanism of Boston ivy. [28] There are many suckers in Boston ivy, which are composed of specific structures that are similar to sponge-like microscopic pores and tubes. The adhesion of the suckers follows the below processes: 1) a flowable mucus generates from the pores, which is delivered to the substrates by tubes; 2) after building a contact with the substrate, a series of chemical reactions occur between the sucker and the substrate, which consume nitrogen inside the sucker and oxygen between the sucker and the substrate; 3) the gas consumption results in a negative pressure condition in the interface, which thus improves the adhesion between the suckers and substrates.…”

Bio-based and bio-inspired adhesives from animals and plants for biomedical applications

“… common name species family glue function Ref. barley hordeum vulgare poaceae attachment with hulls [ 47 ] chia salvia hispanica lamiaceae protection of germ [ 48 ] orchid phalaenopsis aphrodite orchidaceae pollen spreading [ 49 ] philodendron syngonium podophyllum araceae attachment [ 50 ] arabidopsis arabidopsis thaliana brassicales germination [ 51 ] tropical milkweed asclepias curassavica apocynaceae pollen spreading [ 52 ] dandelion taraxacum officinale asteraceae pollen spreading [ 53 ] fly bush roridula gorgonias roridulaceae prey capture [ 54 , 55 ] sundew drosera capensis drosera glanduligera drosophyllum lusitanicum droseraceae drosophyllaceae prey capture [ 42 , 56 , 57 ] ivy hedera helix parthenocissus tricuspidate araliaceae vitaceae attachment [ 37 , 38 ] aloe vera aloe barbadensis Miller asphodelaceae storage, protection from desiccation [...…”

“…Similar to the locomotion strategy used by snails, mucopolysaccharide-based microspheres can also be found in the bio-glue used by climbing plants such as ivy ( Hedera helix ). This adhesive allows the plants to stably grow in the vertical direction while facing the sunlight as needed for efficient photosynthesis [ 37 , 38 ]. The carnivorous cape sundew ( Drosera capensis ) secretes an adhesive to trap and digest prey.…”

Surface‐Bound Microgels for Separation, Sensing, and Biomedical Applications

“…On their own, the microgels presented little affinity toward the surfaces; however, co-deposited with 3,4-dihydroxylphenylalanine bolaamphiphile nanoparticles (DOPA-C7 NP), the adhesion strength of the composite increased up to 50-fold depending on the substrate properties. [192]…”