Bioinspired Hydrogel-Polymer Hybrids with a Tough and Antifatigue Interface via One-Step Polymerization.

Hydrogel hybrids are one of the key factors in life activities and biomimetic science; however, their development and utilization are critically impeded by their inadequate adhesive strength and intricate process. In nature, barnacles can stick to a variety of solid surfaces firmly (adhesive strength above 300 kPa) using a hydrophobic interface, which inspires us to firmly combine hydrogels and polymers through introducing an adhesive layer. By spreading a hydrophobic liquid membrane directly, tough combination of a hydrogel and a polymer substrate could be achieved after one-step polymerization.

Hydrogel with Ultrafast Self-Healing Property Both in Air and Underwater.

Self-healing hydrogels have a great potential application in 3D printing, soft robotics, and tissue engineering. There have been a large number of successful strategies for developing hydrogels that exhibit rapid and autonomous recovery. However, developing a gel with an excellent self-healing performance within several seconds is still an enormous challenge.