Cited by 22Polymer Surface Interaction StudiesAdhesion, Friction, and Surface InteractionsMarine Biology and Environmental Chemistry

Short-Sequence Superadhesive Peptides with Topologically Enhanced Cation−π Interactions

Chang, Heng, Adibnia, Vahid, Li, Chuanxi, Su, Rongxin, Qi, Wei, Banquy, Xavier·2021·Chemistry of Materials

Abstract

In this study, using the surface force apparatus, we report engineered peptides with short sequences of phenylalanine (F) and lysine (K) amino acids capable of forming the most efficient cation−π interactions reported for underwater adhesive systems in the literature to date. This outstanding cation−π binding efficiency can be achieved between surfaces coated using these peptides when an isolated K amino acid is flanked by F amino acids in the peptide sequence. Surface force analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation reveal that such a sequence of amino acids minimizes repulsive hydration forces that prevent effective cation−π interactions. The resulting peptides exhibit cation−π interactions that are 14 times more efficient than cation−π interactions between the homogenous films of F and K. In addition, the resulting adhesive energy of two surfaces covered with these peptides is more than twice larger than the best-performing underwater adhesive energy based on cation−π interactions. Such effects of molecular sequences on the binding efficiency of underwater adhesives suggest that a short sequence of amino acids, which is engineered to have effective cation−π interactions, can be sufficient to improve upon the adhesive performance of complex mixtures of macromolecules as underwater superadhesives. The results provided in this study allow to unambiguously rationalize the molecular determinants necessary for strong cation−π interactions and offer new guidelines for developing mussel-inspired underwater adhesive materials.

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Crossref · 10.1021/acs.chemmater.1c01171

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  • BA and PEA effectively expel water from the contact interface, and when neighbouring with ATAC, they could enhance electrostatic interactions with the negatively charged glass surface.

    “This is because BA and PEA effectively expel water from the contact interface, and, when neighbouring with ATAC (Supplementary Fig. 11), they could enhance electrostatic interactions with the negatively charged glass surface27,40–43 (Supplementary Fig. 12).”

    From Data-driven de novo design of super-adhesive hydrogels (2025) · cites this paper as [43]

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Authors
Chang, H., Adibnia, V., Li, C., Su, R., Qi, W., & Banquy, X.
Affiliations
  • Tianjin University (CN)
  • Université de Montréal (CA)
Corresponding author
  • Su, Rongxin
  • Banquy, Xavier
Venue
Chemistry of Materials
Published
2021-06-03
Volume
33
Issue
13
Pages
5168-5176
ISSN
  • 0897-4756 (ISSN-L)
  • 1520-5002
OpenAlex
W3169627180
Cited by
22
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1
FWCI
0.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Chemistry of Materials (publishedVersion)
  • Papyrus : Institutional Repository (Université de Montréal) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (2019YFE0106900)
  • Fonds de Recherche du Qu??bec - Nature et Technologies
  • Canada Research Chairs
  • China Scholarship Council (201906250100)
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Surfaces, Coatings and Films › Polymer Surface Interaction Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanics of Materials › Adhesion, Friction, and Surface Interactions
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Ocean Engineering › Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
Keywords
cation-π interactions, wet adhesion, phenylalanine, lysine, hydration forces, adhesion energy, mussel-inspired adhesives, molecular dynamics simulation

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