Collaborative Research: Synthetic mucins with tunable structures and programmable interfacial behavior

Research Foundation Cuny - Advanced Science Research Center, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Most people cringe when they hear the word mucus, repulsed by the image of gooey slime, but what they may not realize is that mucus is one of the most interesting and diverse materials found in the natural world. Every animal uses mucus to fill a wide range of needs. The common garden snail, for example, secretes one type of mucus that facilitates locomotion, another that helps them stick to walls, and a third mucus, found on the back, that protects it from environmental threats. Despite its prevalence in the natural world, very little is understood about how mucus changes properties to behave, in one case, as an adhesive and, in another, as a lubricant. If these properties can be understood and reproduced in a synthetic material, it could have applications ranging from eye drops to coatings for medical implants. This project supports fundamental research to understand the lubricity and adhesion of synthetic mucin polymers – human-made materials that mimic the structures and properties of natural mucus. By understanding the effects of polymer length, composition, and the presence of additives, such as calcium salts, on the lubricity and adhesion, it would be possible to design useful synthetic mucins that mimic the properties of natural mucins. This project will provide significant educational opportunities for students to explore the wonders of materials research and the fascinating science behind everyday objects that populate our world. Integrated outreach activities are focused on engaging students from high school to undergraduate levels. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT This collaborative project aims to create a new class of biomimetic polymers – synthetic mucins – that emulate the structures and, in turn, the properties of the glycosylated polypeptides that are the primary components of mucus. The research involves investigating systematically the relationship between synthetic mucin structure and rheological, mechanical, and tribological properties. Specifically, the three research objectives are to study the properties of (i) homopolymers composed solely of glycosylated monomeric units, (ii) random copolymers containing glycosylated monomers and thiol-containing monomers that can form interchain cross-links, and (iii) triblock copolymers that contain glycosylated monomers, thiol-containing monomers, and monomers capable of forming specific interactions with surfaces. In addition to developing new synthetic methods and polymerization protocols to create the monomers and polymers, respectively, nanotribological methods and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations will be applied to measure and understand the behavior of these new materials. The broader impacts of this project will be (i) an internship program in materials science for high-school students, (ii) student exchanges between CUNY and the University of Pennsylvania, and (iii) booths at science outreach days intended to inform the public on the impact of materials science research on everyday life. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.