Water-Excluding Underwater Glue Induced by Marangoni Effect

Abstract

Marangoni effect at the two-phase interface with different surface tension as a unique mass transfer phenomenon has been widely used in daily life and industrial manufacture. However, their marvelous liquid-driving capability between miscible liquids has long been ignored, especially in water environments. Here, we first reveal a distinct underwater Marangoni effect between the solvent of glues and the water layer on solid surfaces. Driven by the Marangoni effect, organic solvents with water solubility, high dielectric constant, and low diffusivity could effectively exclude the interfacial water layer, enabling direct and effective contact between glues and solid surfaces. Our experimental results and theoretical simulation proved that a relatively large ratio of the Marangoni number in the horizontal direction and to the vertical direction ensured an effective underwater adhesion of the water-excluding glue. This surface engineering approach provides an alternative to the traditional methods of molecular engineering for realizing underwater adhesion.