Researchers have developed a hydrogel which is more than 90 per cent water and able to adhere to slippery surfaces with the strength of tendon adhering to bone. They believe the gel will be ideal for protective coatings on underwater surfaces, such as boats, oil rigs, and submarines.
The hydrogel is able to stick to glass, silicon, ceramics as well as metals such as titanium and aluminum. The research team is currently looking at uses in ‘soft robotics’, where the hydrogel could be used as artificial tendons or flexible joints.
Original research paper published in Nature Materials on November 9, 2015.
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