Principal Investigator Admir Masic
Project Website https://www.masicgroup.mit.edu/bioinspired
Bioinspired construction materials -- Construction industry used about 40% of raw material by weight in 2009, and the amount of material usage in construction industry is increasing rapidly [1]. As construction materials accounts for a large portion of the entire used material, a little improvement in construction material could be a huge impact in total.
Many researches have been conducted on bioinspired materials as their sustainability, performances, and energy efficiency. Some biomaterials and bioinspired materials that researchers have studied are: biotech concrete incorporating ureolytic bacteria, self-cleaning materials inspired by lotus leaves, tough materials such as spider silk and nacre shells, and adhesives such as mussel byssus and barnacle cement [2].
In-vivo Raman spectroscopy in biomaterial studies -- Biomaterials are synthesized and modified within a living body. Researches should be conducted in in-vivo conditions in order to observe the changing chemistry within the body. The significant benefit of Raman spectroscopy is that it could be used on living body with the least damage to the samples [3].
Barnacle cement -- Barnacles can attach to a wide variety of surfaces by secreting proteinous cement. The adhesion strength of barnacle cement varies from 0.1MPa to 1Mpa [4], which is one of the strongest underwater adhesive on Earth. But the components of barnacle cement and attachment mechanisms are still unknown [5]. The goal of this research is to characterize barnacle cement with the change of composition and properties during the curing process. Understanding barnacle cement could give an insight into developing strong underwater adhesives, which can be used as additives in concrete, surgical adhesives, marine adhesives, and a number of different applications.