Water-activated polymer forms solid shapes underwater and bonds glass fragments
Cement hardens when mixed with water, allowing it to form solid structures even in wet environments. This property is known as hydraulicity. Reproducing this property in organic polymers has been challenging, as polymer materials that react with moisture often lack the combination of bulk curing and water resistance needed to harden reliably in wet conditions.
Japanese researchers have developed an organic polymer that can harden and bond underwater. The polymer, called poly(silatranylmethyl methacrylate) or PSMMA, is able to form a solid shape in wet environments due to a unique property called hydraulicity. When PSMMA powder is mixed with water, it turns into a soft, sticky putty that gradually becomes a rigid solid.
This transformation is caused by a chemical group called silatrane, which interacts with water and undergoes hydrolysis and condensation reactions, forming a crosslinked network that makes the material water-resistant. In laboratory tests, the researchers shaped the putty into rods and allowed it to cure underwater, retaining the intended shapes of cubic and spiral forms.
The cured polymer also bonded glass fragments without leaking when filled with water. While the material is currently brittle, the researchers believe further research could improve its mechanical properties, such as reducing brittleness through copolymerization.
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