Development of hydrogel adhesion system for propagation of aquatic organisms

Recently, hydrogels have been studied as novel adhesive materials for use in various fields. Hydrogels can be adhered to diverse materials, such as biological tissues, plastics, metals, and hydrogels. However, effective hydrogel adhesion is a fairly challenging technique because it is affected by specific binding and moisture content. This study attempted adhesion between two different hydrogels, alginate gel and nanocomposite (NC) hydrogel. The adhesion process between the hydrogels was optimized for various parameters that have an effect on the peeling energy between the interfacial adhered hydrogels. Peeling behavior was classified into three types. The formation of a stable adhered interface was confirmed through microscopy and SEM imaging. In addition, the mechanism of adhesion between hydrogels was investigated through elemental analysis using SEM-EDS. The applicability of the interfacial adhered hydrogels in an aquatic environment was tested through stability evaluation and microalgae immobilization experiments. The adhered interface of the microalgae-immobilized alginate gel and the NC hydrogel was stable. This study demonstrates that hydrogels are a potential and highly functionalized material for immobilizing living organisms through topological adhesion between hydrogels.