Adhesive

In the packaging war between paper and plastic, plastic has remained indispensable in one vital aspect: sealing. Until now, reliable paper seals have required adhesives or plastic layers. Scientists may have found a way to eliminate both.

Electronics that can't be easily dismantled for recycling aren't very eco-friendly, nor are petroleum-based adhesives. Scientists have set about addressing both issues, by developing a switchable adhesive made mainly of rose oil.

It’s hard to get glue to work underwater – unless you’re a mussel. Scientists have now created a new adhesive that combines the stickiness of mussel’s natural glue with the slimy, germ-repelling nature of mucus.

Manufacturing could be dramatically changed thanks to two new techniques for joining materials created by scientists in Austria. The two methods create super strong bonds at the pore level, eliminating the need for caustic adhesives.

Forget radioactive spiders – a new breakthrough could make it easier to get Spider-Man’s wall-crawling powers. Scientists in Singapore have created a strong and reusable adhesive out of a shape-memory polymer, triggered by temperature changes.

Imagine if a hard metal implant could be bonded to soft biological tissue without using any adhesive, then easily removed when no longer needed. That and other nifty things could soon be possible, thanks to a new understanding of electroadhesion.

Getting glue to stick in dry conditions is relatively easy, but having it maintain a bond underwater is much more difficult. That said, a new bio-based glue not only works underwater, it actually gets stronger when immersed.

An intriguing new glue can basically be switched on and off on demand. The adhesive sticks together when hit with one wavelength of light, and breaks apart with another, allowing it to be removed and reused easily – potentially, even underwater.

Ordinarily, adhesive tape either boasts a strong hold or is easy to remove. Drawing inspiration from an ancient paper-cutting technique, however, scientists have now devised a method of combining both qualities in existing types of tape.

A powerful new adhesive can grip strongly in extreme temperatures, from the deep freeze of liquid nitrogen to the sweltering heat of an oven. Better yet, it can be broken back down into its component parts and reused without losing strength.

Mussels have long been known for the adhesive they produce, which allows them to cling to rocks. The protein responsible has now been utilized in a new skin grafting technique, which reportedly results in little to no scarring.

In order to spread to other host trees, the parasitic mistletoe plant has very sticky seeds that cling to bird feathers, bark, and other materials. According to a recent study, the "glue" on those seeds could inspire new biomedical adhesives.