One afternoon on the coast of Hokkaido, a small rubber duck bobbed in the waves, anchored to a seaside rock. It wasn’t tethered with screws or cement. Instead, it clung there because of a transparent, jelly-like substance: an experimental hydrogel that could transform adhesives in wet environments.
The hydrogel is now part of a new class of water-resistant glues that researchers say are stronger than anything found in nature. Developed by a team led by Jian Ping Gong at Hokkaido University, the gels combine the flexibility of soft polymers with the stubborn grip of mussels, barnacles, and other aquatic clingers. And unlike most adhesives, they keep their hold instantly and repeatedly — even under saltwater, pounding waves, or high pressure.
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