Designing nanohesives for rapid, universal, and robust hydrogel adhesion
Zhao Pan1,2, Qi-Qi Fu3, Mo-Han Wang4
1Department of Chemistry, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Institute of Biomimetic Materials & Chemistry, Anhui Engineering Laboratory of Biomimetic Materials, Division of Nanomaterials & Chemistry, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
Nature Communications
|September 4, 2023
Summary
New nanohesives offer rapid, robust, and universal hydrogel adhesion to various surfaces. These advanced nanoparticles enable strong bonding in seconds, crucial for biomedical and engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Hydrogel adhesion is critical for advanced applications but faces challenges in speed, strength, and versatility.
- Existing nanoparticle-based glues often fall short of meeting these demanding requirements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel nanohesives for rapid, robust, and universal hydrogel adhesion.
- To overcome limitations of current nanoparticle glues for hydrogel applications.
Main Methods:
- Designing nanohesives through modulation of hydrogel mechanics.
- Utilizing surface chemical activation of nanoparticles.
- Testing adhesion on diverse engineering solids and biological tissues without pre-treatment.
Main Results:
- Nanohesives achieve robust hydrogel adhesion within seconds.
- Effective adhesion demonstrated on arbitrary engineering solids and biological tissues.
- Successful application in a hydrogel-based machine for in vivo blood flow monitoring.
Conclusions:
- The developed nanohesives offer a promising strategy for hydrogel-based engineering.
- Their biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties enhance their potential in biomedical fields.
- This technology addresses key challenges in achieving rapid, strong, and versatile hydrogel adhesion.
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