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A Hydrophilic Underwater Tissue Adhesive With Interfacial Conformity and Viscoelastic Displacement
Yicheng Guo1, Linxiang Xu2, Yunhua Liu1
1Institute of Burn Research, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Southwest Hospital, The Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|February 17, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a new hydrophilic underwater adhesive (HUA) for instant tissue adhesion in wet conditions. This innovative biomaterial effectively seals wounds and reduces bleeding, even underwater.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Hydrogel Engineering
- Adhesive Technology
Background:
- Water presence significantly compromises adhesive performance in biomedical applications.
- Existing adhesives often fail in wet or underwater environments due to poor substrate contact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a hydrophilic underwater adhesive (HUA) capable of instant and strong adhesion to wet and underwater tissues.
- To engineer hydrogel viscoelasticity for improved underwater adhesion.
Main Methods:
- A step-by-step photocrosslinking strategy was employed to synthesize the HUA.
- The HUA incorporated adaptive fitting for interface morphology and viscoelastic displacement for bound water removal.
Main Results:
- The HUA demonstrated instant adhesion to various organs (heart, esophagus) and substrates (polyimide, iron, titanium) underwater.
- Effective performance in skin wound closure and repair, significantly reducing blood loss and bleeding time in liver injuries.
Conclusions:
- The developed HUA offers a promising strategy for creating instant, strong underwater tissue adhesives.
- This technology has potential applications in complex physiological environments and advancing biomedical adhesive development.
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