Polymer modified cement (PMC) is a composite material formed by incorporating polymers into cement. The inclusion of polymer improves various mechanical properties of cement such as its flexibility, adhesion, and toughness, providing solutions for a wide range of engineering challenges. Looking to nature for inspiration, oysters produce biological cement with which they build extensive reef communities underwater. Previous studies have shown that this cement is composed of 12% organics (peptides, carbohydrates, and lipids) and 85% calcium carbonate (CaCO3) with the remainder being water. The organic matrix is mostly uncharacterized, with previous studies showing signs of phosphate-based moieties. The aim of this thesis is to create a biomimetic PMC system that uses phosphate-functionalized polymers based on oyster cement chemistry to increase adhesion and compression strength. This polymer and CaCO3 system is optimized through a series of ladder studies, tested against commercial benchmarks, and eventually incorporated into commercial mortar mix—ultimately leading to a 3x increase in compressive strength and a 7x increase in adhesive strength on wetted substrates.

 

Also included are the preliminary results of characterization of the chemical adhesive of poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans aerial rootlets using histological staining methods and fluorescence microscopy.