A Gelatin‐Based Bioadhesive Featuring Mechanically Induced Glue‐To‐Gel Transition

Authors: Wencheng Liang, Kun Lei, Jiakang Zhang, Miao Yang, Shen Wang, Shanshan Yan, Feng Lin, Jiangang Yu, Guoqing Liu, Xiuping Wan, Yan Xie

Published: 2025-03-18

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202501016

Source: Full article


Abstract

AbstractIn the field of bioadhesives, the development of machinable adhesives with a “glue‐to‐gel transition” remains a significant challenge. This study presents a novel design strategy to endow the Gel/Eg adhesive with mechanical machinability. It leverages a combination of hydrogen bond interactions, metal complexation, and the secondary structure of gelatin through a one‐step mixing method. Rheological analysis shows that the adhesive exhibits a frequency‐dependent “glue‐to‐gel transition,” maintaining a glue state at low frequencies and transitioning to a gel state at higher frequencies. During stretching, the β‐sheet structure transforms into a random coil structure. Moreover, the adhesive features excellent water resistance, a low water swelling ratio, strong adhesion strength, high extensibility, instantaneous adhesion, instantaneous self‐healing, and both biocompatibility and hemocompatibility. These attributes enable the Gel/Eg adhesive to exhibit multiple fault‐tolerance capabilities on tissue surfaces, highlighting its potential for diverse biomedical applications.