Bioinspired Underwater Adhesives
Abstract
Underwater adhesives are in high demand in both commercial and industrial sectors. Compared with adhesives used in dry (air) environments, adhesives used for wet or submerged surfaces in aqueous environments have specific challenges in development and performance. In this review, focus is on adhesives demonstrating macroscopic adhesion to wet/underwater substrates. The current strategies are first introduced for different types of underwater adhesives, and then an overview is provided of the development and performance of underwater adhesives based on different mechanisms and strategies. Finally, the possible research directions and prospects of underwater adhesives are discussed.
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Previous studies on adhesive hydrogels have identified several monomer types, making it difficult to form a consistent dataset or forge a simple design principle for optimizing performance.
“Previous studies on this material have identified several monomer types, making it difficult to form a consistent dataset or forge a simple design principle for optimizing performance16.”
From Data-driven de novo design of super-adhesive hydrogels (2025) · cites this paper as [16]
The ML-driven hydrogels represent an order-of-magnitude improvement over previously reported underwater adhesive hydrogels and elastomers.
“an order-of-magnitude improvement over previously reported underwater adhesive hydrogels and elastomers16 (Supplementary Fig. 1).”
From Data-driven de novo design of super-adhesive hydrogels (2025) · cites this paper as [16]
Achieving instant, strong and repeatable underwater adhesion remains a longstanding challenge.
“Yet achieving instant, strong and repeatable underwater adhesion remains a longstanding challenge16,17.”
From Data-driven de novo design of super-adhesive hydrogels (2025) · cites this paper as [16]
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Data-driven de novo design of super-adhesive hydrogels
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“Yet achieving instant, strong and repeatable underwater adhesion remains a longstanding challenge 16,17 .”
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- Authors
- Fan, H., & Gong, J. P.
- Affiliations
- Hokkaido University (JP)
- Venue
- Advanced Materials
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2021-09-17
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 44
- Pages
- e2102983-e2102983
- ISSN
- 0935-9648 (ISSN-L)
- 1521-4095
- OpenAlex
- W3201134605
- Cited by
- 466
- References
- 167
- Citations by year
- 2026: 101 · 2025: 109 · 2024: 100 · 2023: 100 · 2022: 55 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 6.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Advanced Materials (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JP17H06144, JP17H06376, JP21K14676)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Ocean Engineering › Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanics of Materials › Adhesion, Friction, and Surface Interactions
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Surfaces, Coatings and Films › Polymer Surface Interaction Studies
- Keywords
- underwater adhesives, bioinspired adhesives, adhesion mechanism, biomimetic adhesion, wet adhesion
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