(553b) Robust Transient Semi-Glue Tape: Ultrastrong Adhesion Empowered By Water Activation and Self-Locking

Tape-type adhesives are renowned for their superior flexibility, repeatability, and ease of storage compared to the glue-types. However, conventional adhesive tapes often suffer from low adhesion strength (< 500 kPa) due to ineffective contact (Figure a). Herein, we introduce an innovative adhesive tape based on polymer ionogel, achieving an ultrahigh adhesion strength of up to 3 MPa on various substrates, making a record-high strength to date for tape-type adhesives. This exceptional adhesion performance is facilitated by water droplets applied at the bonding interface without the need for curing treatments or additional auxiliary equipment (Figure b). By combining the advantageous features of both glues and tapes, these adhesives are termed as transient semi-glue tapes (TSGT). During the bonding process, an action from unlocking to locking is expected to occur at the interface between TSGT and substrate in two stages. Initially, the TSGT surface undergoes a transition to an unlocked glue-like state due to the water' s plasticization effect, establishing fusion with the substrate. Subsequently, a redistribution of water within the bulk TSGT, culminating in the formation of strong bonding and interlocking (Figure c). In this work, we elucidated the mechanism behind the water activation and self-locking of the physical gel network, and developed a general preparation approach, offering an ingenious solution to this long-standing engineering challenge.