Tuning Dry and Wet Adhesion with a Branched Supramolecular Polymer Solution

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Achieving adhesives with both dry and wet adhesion capabilities on diverse surfaces, from rigid materials to biological tissues, presents a significant scientific challenge.
• Existing adhesives often struggle to maintain performance under varying humidity or when interfacing with wet environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel branched supramolecular polymer capable of adaptive dry and wet adhesion.
• To create a versatile adhesive system that can bond to both hard substrates and soft biological tissues.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a branched supramolecular polymer (PAMU) via one-pot reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization.
• Demonstration of dry adhesion through solvent evaporation-induced film formation.
• Formation of a wet crosslinking network via in situ polymerization of residual double bonds in the aqueous polymer solution.

Main Results:

• The synthesized PAMU polymer solution exhibits robust adhesion to glass surfaces upon water evaporation.
• The polymer can form a stable crosslinked network on wet surfaces through in situ polymerization, enabling strong adhesion to biological tissues.
• The supramolecular network incorporates hydrogen bonding, imparting self-healing properties to the adhesive.

Conclusions:

• A branched supramolecular polymer (PAMU) was successfully developed for adaptive dry and wet adhesion.
• The PAMU adhesive demonstrates versatility in bonding to diverse substrates, including wet biological tissues.
• This approach offers a promising strategy for creating advanced supramolecular adhesives with self-healing capabilities for broad applications.