Functional hydrogel-plastic hybrids inspired by the structural characteristics of mussels

Abstract

Shellfish with rigid shells prevent damage to their delicate internal cores, and their soft bonding muscles drive the opening and closing of the shells. This synergism of rigid and soft materials provides shellfish with unique environmental adaptation. Inspired by the structural characteristics of mussels, a riveting layer was introduced into hydrogel-plastic hybrids for bonding hydrogel networks and plastic substrates. The bonding strength of the hydrogel on the polypropylene (PP) substrate was approximately 1.52 MPa, and the interface toughness reached 1450 J m−2. Furthermore, the integration of plastics and microscale hydrogels, as well as abscised or prefabricated hydrogels, could also be fabricated through the same process. By using this strategy, a hydrogel-plastic hybrid-based device with temperature responsiveness and scratch resistance was fabricated and could mimic the basic activities of mussels. This work improves the functional materials used in programmable engineering systems and could facilitate the construction of intelligent robots. Drawing inspiration from the structural attributes of mussels, we have introduced a riveting layer into our hydrogel-plastic hybrids, facilitating robust bonding between hydrogel networks and plastic substrates. This work underscores the immense potential and advantages that this integration of hydrogels and plastics holds, especially in the development of intelligent robotics.