Image of the Day: Can’t Touch This

Scientists engineer a new polymer that prevents macrofouling mussels from sticking to underwater surfaces.

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Perna viridis on a surface coated with polydimethylsiloxane lubricantAMINI ET AL., SCIENCE, 357:668-73, 2017 Mussels are sticky creatures, and when they plant themselves on underwater surfaces, such as ship hulls or fishery piping systems, their ensuing crusty structures are disruptive and costly to remove. To address this problem, scientists have engineered a polymer and lubricant-based substance that repels their clingy advances.

See S. Amini et al., “Preventing mussel adhesion using lubricant-infused materials,” Science, 357:668-73, 2017.

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