High‐Performance Bio‐Glue From the Berries of a Parasitic Plant

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Authors: Ufuk Gürer, Jana T. Reh, Jonas Röder, Umut Günsel, Chiara Gunnella, Lisa Schöbel, Franz Hagn, Aldo Roberto Boccaccini, Oliver Lieleg
Cited by: 1
References: 33

Abstract

Most commercial adhesives are still petroleum-based. Despite extensive efforts to develop sustainable alternatives, bio-based adhesives often require chemical modification of their components, or they fail to achieve rapid, high-performance bonding. Here, we report a fully bio-based adhesive derived primarily from a (poly)saccharide extract obtained from the berries of the hemi-parasitic plant mistletoe (Viscum album). This (poly)saccharide extract is supplemented with tannic and malic acid without any further chemical functionalization. Through a combination of heat-treatment and rapid curing, the developed adhesive exhibits remarkable bonding strength across diverse substrates-including various types of wood and metal, glass, and polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon)-and under various conditions. Furthermore, if samples are separated by force, the remaining adhesive layers can be reactivated via heat-treatment to allow for efficient re-bonding of the adherends. The fully bio-based formulation not only enables multiple repair cycles but also valorizes a parasitic plant, thereby serving as an eco-friendly, high-performance alternative to petroleum-derived adhesives.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Lignin and Wood Chemistry Polymer composites and self-healing Plant and Biological Electrophysiology Studies

Publication details

Journal / source
Advanced Materials
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
38
Issue
53
Pages
e74322–e74322
Publication date
29 July 2026
Language
EN