Files
Download Full Text (1.1 MB)
Description
Hagfish are ancient animals that eject a slime when attacked by predators. The slime that the hagfish emit is almost entirely composed of water but protein strands within the slime cause the slime to have incredible strength. However, these protein strands will be formed synthetically for the purposes of our experiment. To defend against foes, the Navy launches plastic ropes into the propellers of enemy warships in order to decrease the thrust of the motors. In a push to find a more biodegradable solution, the utilization of hagfish slime has shown great promise in stopping propellers.While we know that the slime can stop propellers from functioning properly we hope to understand how. What specific mechanical properties allow for this phenomena? Initial data indicates slime in saltwater is stronger and has greater stretching capability, likely due to ionic crosslinking. We hope to maximize the strength of this incredible biomaterial.
Publication Date
12-9-2021
City
Logan, UT
Keywords
hagfish, slime, warships, national defense
Disciplines
Biology | Exercise Science | Kinesiology
Recommended Citation
Johns, Hayden and Walker, Spencer, "Synthetic Hagfish Slime Mimetics: Mechanical Characterization" (2021). Fall Student Research Symposium 2021. 66.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/fsrs2021/66