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Water-induced phase separation enables underwater adhesion far exceeding dry adhesion
Pan Du1,2, Yan Wang1,2, Xianru He1
1School of New Energy and Materials, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China. xrhe@swpu.edu.cn.
Materials Horizons
|May 23, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a novel underwater adhesive that achieves 12.19 MPa adhesion strength by forming nanoparticles in situ. This breakthrough offers robust adhesion in challenging aquatic environments.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Chemistry
- Adhesion Science
Background:
- Underwater adhesion is critical for marine applications but is typically weak (<1 MPa) due to water interference.
- Existing underwater adhesives struggle with poor contact and cohesion in aqueous environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-strength underwater adhesive overcoming limitations of current technologies.
- To elucidate the mechanism behind significantly enhanced underwater adhesion.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a hydrophobic elastomer that precipitates into nanoparticles when exposed to water.
- Employed focused ion beam (FIB) for nano-scale interfacial layer detachment.
- Conducted high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) for structural analysis.
Main Results:
- Achieved unprecedented underwater adhesion strength of 12.19 MPa, surpassing dry adhesion.
- Demonstrated robust adhesion to diverse substrates (metal, plastic, glass) in various conditions (water, acid, alkali, oil, seawater).
- Identified *in situ* nanoparticle formation as the key mechanism for enhanced adhesion via surface anchoring.
Conclusions:
- The formation of a special interfacial phase structure induced by water is key to robust underwater adhesion.
- This study presents a universal strategy for developing high-performance underwater adhesives.
- The developed adhesive shows great potential for marine, repair, and energy applications.
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