Co-reporter: Guohua Deng, Qian Ma, Hongxia Yu, Yunfei Zhang, Zhichao Yan, Fuyong Liu, Chenyang Liu, Huanfeng Jiang, and Yongming Chen
pp: 467
Publication Date(Web):April 13, 2015
DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.5b00096
A macroscopic organohydrogel hybrid was prepared by fast adhesion between the hydrogel and organogel which often repel each other. The two original gels were prepared by condensation of two poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) gelators in anisole and water, respectively. Reversible acylhydrazone bonds formed in the condensation act as linking points of the polymer networks in the gels. When the two gels were brought into contact, a robust hybridized gel was obtained in 10 min. An emulsion layer formed at the interface between the two gels and dynamic chemistry of acylhydrazone bonding are key factors in rapid adhesion of the two inherently different gels. We hope this finding will enable the development of intelligent soft objects whose macroscopic water and oil phases contain different functional components.