Image Courtesy: Nature Communications
Engineers have developed a new underwater adhesive that can bond surfaces in just 10 seconds, withstand years of continuous immersion, and be detached and reused multiple times. The material could eventually help address one of the biggest challenges in maintaining infrastructure beneath the water.
The adhesive was developed by researchers using a supramolecular ionic liquid called BP16TPB. Unlike conventional glues, which struggle because water creates a barrier between adhesive and surface, the new material uses water to trigger the formation of a strong molecular network.
The researchers combined flexible and rigid molecular components with dimethyl sulfoxide, or DMSO, a solvent that helps separate some of the material’s molecules into mobile charged particles. When the mixture encounters water, those particles reorganize and form a dense structure held together by hydrogen bonds and ?-? stacking interactions.
The adhesive also takes advantage of the Marangoni effect, a phenomenon driven by differences in surface tension between liquids. Combined with the material’s strong hydrophobic properties, this allows it to push away the thin layer of water normally covering underwater surfaces.
That mechanism could give the adhesive a major advantage over traditional underwater bonding materials. Researchers tested it on several surfaces, including ceramic, epoxy and plastics, and found that it developed an adhesive strength of about 1.1 million pascals after only 10 seconds of curing underwater.
The material also demonstrated remarkable durability. In one long-term test, it supported a 2-kilogram, or 4.4-pound, load for more than three years while continuously submerged. The researchers also detached and reapplied the adhesive underwater, with the material retaining its performance through eight cycles.
The adhesive continued to function in acidic, alkaline and salty electrolyte solutions, suggesting potential applications in challenging marine environments. However, it has a significant limitation: temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius can affect its performance.
If the technology can be scaled for practical use, it could offer a new approach to repairing pipelines, marine structures and other underwater infrastructure where conventional adhesives often fail. The researchers say their work could also contribute to the development of responsive materials that change their properties in response to their surroundings.
