Multifunctional Biomedical Adhesives

Abstract

Currently available biomedical adhesives are mainly engineered to have one function (i.e., providing mechanical support for the repaired tissue). To improve the performance of existing bioadhesives and broaden their applications in medicine, numerous multifunctional bioadhesives are reported in the literature. These adhesives can be categorized as passive or active by design. Passive multifunctional bioadhesives contain inherent compositions and structural designs that can carry out additional functions without added external influences. These adhesives exhibit new functionalities such as antimicrobial properties, self‐healing abilities, the ability to promote cellular ingrowth, and the ability to be reshaped. Conversely, active multifunctional bioadhesives respond to environmental changes (e.g., pH, temperature, electricity, light, and biomolecule concentration), which initiate a change in the adhesive to release encapsulated drugs or to activate or deactivate the bioadhesive for interfacial binding. This review article highlights recent advances in multifunctional bioadhesives.

Thermally Triggered Injectable Underwater Adhesives

“…[ 6–9 ] Numerous research works have drawn inspirations from these animals in developing underwater adhesives based on catechol chemistry, which contributes to interfacial interactions and bulk dissipation for underwater adhesion under certain conditions. [ 5,7,10,11 ] More recent findings in this field highlight the significance of weaker molecular interactions such as cation‐π and hydrophobic interactions. [ 12–15 ] For example, the interfacial performance of DOPA in mussel adhesion depends on the hydrophobicity of adjacent amino acid residues.…”

Rapidly responsive smart adhesive-coated micropillars utilizing catechol–boronate complexation chemistry

“…Smart adhesives that can rapidly transition between strong and weak adhesion upon the application of external stimuli can be of great practical significance in various potential applications including painless removal of wound dressings, effortless disassembly of bonded structural components, sustainable recycling of materials without damaging substrates, and controlled locomotion of robots. [1][2][3][4] Current smart adhesives have limited applications due to slow responsiveness and the need for extreme conditions for bonding or debonding (e.g., high temperature, 3 harmful UV exposure 5 ). Most importantly, many smart adhesives are unable to bind to wetted surfaces.…”

Specialty Tough Hydrogels and Their Biomedical Applications

“…[139] In addition to forming strong interfacial bonds, the adhesive must maintain cohesive strength after application throughout its service lifespan (Figure 9). [140] In terms of applications, surgical adhesives have emerged as an appealing alternative to conventional closure techniques (e.g. sutures, tacks, or stables) due to advantageous features including ease of application, reduction in surgical time and complications (e.g.…”