An instant, repeatable and universal supramolecular adhesive based on natural small molecules for dry/wet environments

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Switzerland : 1996), 2022-08, Vol.442, p.136206, Article 136206
• Main Authors: Ke, Xiang, Tang, Shuxian, Dong, Zhiyun, Ren, Kai, Yu, Peng, Xu, Xinyuan, Yang, Jiaojiao, Luo, Jun, Li, Jianshu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1385-8947; 1873-3212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2022.136206

A solvent-free and dynamic supramolecular universal adhesive based on natural small molecules is constructed via a facile and green one-pot route. This adhesive provides integrated properties, including injectability, self-healing properties, instant and repeatable adhesion in both dry and underwater conditions at room temperature. [Display omitted] •A solvent-free supramolecular adhesive based on natural molecules is introduced.•A one-pot strategy is utilized by co-heating α-lipoic acid, tannic acid and FeCl3.•LTFe works instantly and repeatedly on diverse materials in complex environments.•The self-strengthening of LTFe network improves the adhesion strength over time.•LTFe exhibits potentials in biomedical fields, especially in wet environments. Development of supramolecular adhesion systems from small molecules is a promising strategy to construct adhesives integrating synthetic simplification and sophisticated properties. Here, we report a facile and green one-pot strategy for fabricating a solvent-free and dynamic supramolecular adhesive via co-heating three readily available feedstocks, a natural small biological molecule (α-lipoic acid), a natural plant polyphenol (tannic acid), and ferric chloride. The adhesive is injectable and self-healing, which can work instantly and repeatedly on various materials (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) in diverse conditions (dry, underwater, pH