Interfacial Instability-Induced (3I) Adhesives through "Mediator" Solvent Diffusion for Robust Underoil Adhesion

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Adhesion Science

Background:

• Underoil adhesives are crucial for pipeline rupture oil spills but face challenges due to oil layer obstruction and solvent swelling.
• Existing adhesives struggle to perform effectively in the presence of oil, limiting their application in subsea or submerged environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel class of underoil adhesives capable of effective adhesion and immediate oil leakage blocking.
• To demonstrate a general principle for designing adhesives that can overcome the oil barrier in complex environments.

Main Methods:

• Introduction of dual-soluble "mediator" solvents to create interfacial instability.
• Utilizing liquid-liquid interfacial diffusion for solvent exchange and oil layer disruption.
• Microscopic characterization to analyze the dynamic solvent exchange process.

Main Results:

• Development of interfacial instability-induced (3I) adhesives with rapid underoil adhesion capabilities.
• Demonstration of effective oil leakage blocking within seconds on various substrates.
• The new principle is independent of solvent surface tension, surface energy, and substrate roughness.

Conclusions:

• A general solvent diffusion principle based on interfacial instability enables effective underoil adhesion.
• 3I adhesives offer a promising solution for challenging adhesive applications in oil-contaminated environments.
• This approach provides a new strategy for designing next-generation adhesives for complex conditions.