Tough supramolecular eutectogels with integrated recyclability, strong water - detachable adhesion, 3D printability, and antibacterial activity

Eutectogels, as emerging soft materials, have garnered significant attention; but integrating multiple functionalities into a single system remains a challenge for practical applications. This work presents a supramolecular eutectogel synthesized via a facile one - step photo - initiated polymerization strategy, employing a synergistic network of hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. The resulting eutectogel exhibits exceptional optical transparency and mechanical performance, achieving a tensile strength of 7.15 MPa, an elongation at break over 700 %, and a toughness of 36.27 MJ·m -3 at ambient conditions. Notably, the supramolecular design enables strong adhesion to various substrates, delivering average bonding strengths of 7.08 MPa (stainless steel) and 5.57 MPa (wood), with stable adhesion retention after 12 - day ambient storage. A unique water - triggered debonding mechanism allows for non - destructive detachment, coupled with full material recyclability through water - based reconfiguration (retaining 85 % strength after five cycles). The eutectogel further demonstrates high - precision 3D printability and antibacterial inhibition zones against Escherichia coli /S. aureus via zwitterionic SBMA hydration layers. This study offers a promising strategy for creating functionally integrated smart soft materials with environmental adaptability.