Tailored Hierarchical Bonding Networks Derive Ultra‐Stable Underwater Adhesion in Harsh Environments

The development of high-performance water-resistant and underwater adhesives is critical for advancing underwater technologies, yet achieving robust functional adhesion with long-term durability in complex underwater environments remains a significant challenge. Here, we present a hierarchical bonding network strategy to realize stable adhesion under harsh underwater conditions. By engineering a cross-linked polysiloxane backbone embedded with dense active interaction sites, including hydroxyl groups, benzene rings, cations, and hydrophobic moieties, we create synergistic multiscale interactions that amplify both cohesion and interfacial adhesion. The optimized adhesive achieves a strong bonding strength of 12.2 MPa and an underwater adhesion of 3.4 MPa on steel substrates and retains stability in corrosive underwater environments (acidic, alkaline, and saline solutions) over extended periods. It further demonstrates exceptional thermal resilience, maintaining functionality across temperatures from -196 to 150 °C. Integrating quaternary ammonium cations with long-chain alkanes endows the material with potent antibacterial activity (≥99.9999% inhibition) and the highest antifungal grade. This work provides a new avenue for designing high-performance multifunctional adhesives with strong adhesion, long-term durability, extreme temperature resistance, and antimicrobial properties, offering broad potential for applications in demanding underwater environments.

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Publication Details

Journal
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Published
2026-01-05
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202521651
Primary Topic
Polymer Surface Interaction Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Tailored Hierarchical Bonding Networks Derive Ultra‐Stable Underwater Adhesion in Harsh Environments

Nan Jiang, Lin Zhang, Hao Chen, Fang Wang et al.
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Polymer Surface Interaction Studies
article

Tailored Hierarchical Bonding Networks Derive Ultra‐Stable Underwater Adhesion in Harsh Environments

Nan Jiang, Lin Zhang, Hao Chen, Fang Wang, Fu‐Rong Zeng, Haibo Zhao, Zhi‐Wei Zeng, Jie Zhang, Shuang‐Mei He, Jian‐Wen Ma, Bo‐Wen Liu, Yu‐Zhong Wang
article en

Abstract

The development of high-performance water-resistant and underwater adhesives is critical for advancing underwater technologies, yet achieving robust functional adhesion with long-term durability in complex underwater environments remains a significant challenge. Here, we present a hierarchical bonding network strategy to realize stable adhesion under harsh underwater conditions. By engineering a cross-linked polysiloxane backbone embedded with dense active interaction sites, including hydroxyl groups, benzene rings, cations, and hydrophobic moieties, we create synergistic multiscale interactions that amplify both cohesion and interfacial adhesion. The optimized adhesive achieves a strong bonding strength of 12.2 MPa and an underwater adhesion of 3.4 MPa on steel substrates and retains stability in corrosive underwater environments (acidic, alkaline, and saline solutions) over extended periods. It further demonstrates exceptional thermal resilience, maintaining functionality across temperatures from -196 to 150 °C. Integrating quaternary ammonium cations with long-chain alkanes endows the material with potent antibacterial activity (≥99.9999% inhibition) and the highest antifungal grade. This work provides a new avenue for designing high-performance multifunctional adhesives with strong adhesion, long-term durability, extreme temperature resistance, and antimicrobial properties, offering broad potential for applications in demanding underwater environments.

Angewandte Chemie International EditionVol. 65(7)
Sichuan University (CN), Ingenierie des Materiaux polymeres (FR)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Sichuan University, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 94%
Polymer Surface Interaction Studies
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