Stretchable superhydrophobic tape constructed by layer-by-layer strategy with multifunction in seawater

Underwater adhesion technology could realize the direct replacement of superhydrophobic coatings in seawater, reducing engineering difficulty and economic cost for marine applications. Herein, superhydrophobic tapes are constructed by a layer-by-layer strategy, which consists of four layers, i.e., superhydrophobic particles, Ecoflex films, adhesive ionogels, and isolation layers. In the process, the adhesive gels are grafted on the Ecoflex films utilizing UV polymerization, and the superhydrophobic particles are covered on the other side of the Ecoflex films using spray. The developed superhydrophobic tapes possess good mechanical robustness (280 kPa), flexibility (500% stretching), and adhesive force in seawater (143.16 kPa). The water contact angle and sliding angle values are 159.16° and 2.81°, respectively, and they exhibit good self-cleaning and antifouling properties. More importantly, they can be directly immobilized on various underwater substrates. We believe that they have practical significance in marine antifouling engineering applications.