WET-Induced Layered Organohydrogel as Bioinspired "Sticky-Slippy Skin" for Robust Underwater Oil-Repellency.

Abstract

Underwater superoleophobic surfaces featuring anti-oil-fouling properties are of great significance in widespread fields. However, their complicated engineering process and weak interfacial adhesion strength with underlying substrates severely hamper these ideal surfaces toward practical applications. Here, a moss-inspired sticky-slippy skin composed of layered organohydrogel is reported through a one-step wetting-enabled-transfer (WET) strategy, which unprecedentedly integrates robust inherent adhesion with durable anti-oil-fouling properties. The sticky organogel layer can be simply attached to various substrates, from metals and plastics to glass, independent of any surface pretreatment. The slippy hydrogel layer enables stable underwater superoleophobicity and ultralow oil adhesion for diverse kinds of oils. The sticky-slippy skin features outstanding comprehensive properties including easy-pasting, anti-swelling/anti-bending, compatibility with commercial adhesives, acid/alkali resistance, environmental friendliness, and substrate universality. The design strategy with integrated functions provides a clue to accelerate the development of bioinspired multifunctional interfacial materials toward real-world applications.