Work

High-Performance Hydrogel Skins for Bioinspired Robotic Fish in Extreme Ocean Environments

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The ocean's extreme environments demand robust materials for next-generation exploration tools. Here, we report a multifunctional poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel (PVA-H) fabricated via universal solvent-induced crystallization for bioinspired robotic fish skins. Alkaline solvent induction triggers intrachain crystallization within concentrated PVA solutions, yielding hydrogels with exceptional mechanical strength (compressive strength up to 2.6 MPa, tensile strain >450%), environmental tolerance (resilience to 1 M acetic acid/NaOH, seawater, 3 M NaCl), and optical transparency (>80%). The material demonstrates efficient recyclability (>90% recovery over 10 cycles) and biocompatibility (hemolysis rate <1.5%). Ionic compounding enables stable underwater conductivity and antifreezing performance at -20 °C. Hydrophilicity-driven interfacial water layers inhibit >70% protein adsorption, which confers antifouling properties. Integration of ice templating and solvent crystallization facilitated scalable fabrication of biomimetic fish skins, validated through sustained underwater operation. This work establishes a versatile platform for durable, eco-adaptive marine robotics operating in chemically, thermally, and biologically hostile environments.

Source: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5c22380

Authors: Shichao Bi, Di Qin, Shipeng Yuan, Yongming Tan, Jiakui Ren, Bo Tang

Institutions: Laoshan Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Shandong Normal University

Language: English

Topic: Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications

Subfield: Molecular Medicine

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province