Football players use a variety of methods to extend the “tack” or stickiness of their gloves, which typically wears down after only a few days’ use. So far, these methods have proved ineffective in restoring gloves to peak performance. Researchers from Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, including Professor Srinivasa Raghavan, Ph.D. candidates Kevin Diehn and Chanda Arya, and undergraduate student Karl Engel, teamed up with former tight end for the UMD football team Matthew Furstenberg to develop a special material that would effectively extend the durability of gloves. Their invention, GripBoost, is a quick-drying polymer-based gel, similar in consistency to hand sanitizer, that is biodegradable and non-toxic, leaves no residue after a catch, and meets league requirements. GripBoost has already received positive feedback from UMD’s football team for restoring gloves to peak performance after application.

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