Mussel-inspired hydrogels with UCST for temperature-controlled reversible adhesion
Haiyan Zuo,
Yaolong Yang,
Dandan Zheng,
Xiangfu Zhou,
Lili Luo,
Yu Liu,
Weiang Luo,
Guorong Chen,
Birong Zeng,
Yiting Xu,
Conghui Yuan,
Lizong Dai
Affiliations
Haiyan Zuo
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Yaolong Yang
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Dandan Zheng
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Xiangfu Zhou
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Lili Luo
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Yu Liu
Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Weiang Luo
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Guorong Chen
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Birong Zeng
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Yiting Xu
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Conghui Yuan
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Corresponding authors at: Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Lizong Dai
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Corresponding authors at: Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Retardant Materials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Achieving on-demand adhesion on different surfaces remains an adaunting challenge for polymer adhesives. Herein, we report a temperature-controlled adhesion strategy of hydrogels based on the reversible exposure and shielding of adhesive promoters regulated by microphase separation. The hydrogels are constructed by the physical crosslinking (hydrogen bonding and ion interaction) of a ternary random copolymer (PQAM) derived from the copolymerization of catechol containing quaternary ammonium salt monomer (QCA), acrylic acid (AA), and acrylamide (AAm). The physically crosslinked polymer networks can effectively toughen the hydrogels, resulting in tensile fracture strength, elongation, and energy up to 43.3 kPa, 1223%, and 9.5 kJ/m2, respectively. PQAM hydrogels exhibit upper critical solution temperature (UCST) behavior, and the transition temperature can be easily adjusted from 42.1 to 49.0 °C by changing the content of PQCA. PQAM hydrogels are non-transparent and non-adhesive at temperatures below UCST, while become transparent and highly adhesive at temperatures above UCST. By simply controlling the temperature, PQAM hydrogels can repeatedly attach to and detach from various substrates (including glass, plastics, ceramic, rock, wood, and metal) with an optimal adhesion strength up to 35.5 kPa. The strategy of hiding adhesive promoters may be interesting in the design of smart adhesives.
