Employing hydrogels as a substitute for cement in soil stabilization is believed to have great environmental benefits. However, current hydrogel soil stabilizers cannot function properly in wet conditions due to swelling-induced structural deformation and mechanical weakening, which significantly limits their applications. To overcome current technical limitations and achieve sustainable cement-free soil stabilization, we developed a water-resistant hydrogel soil stabilizer that worked under both dry and wet conditions inspired by the mussel byssal. Carefully formulated precursors containing methacrylic acid and acrylamide were poured into soils and cured via in-site polymerization. The synergic effect of intermolecular hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions led to the formation of heterogeneous mussel mimicry microstructures that possessed superior toughness (up to 2.1 MJ/m³) and ultra-low swelling ratios. Soils strengthened with such hydrogels maintained great strength (up to 2.9 MPa) in both air and water, which had never been achieved before. The intrinsic water affinity of hydrogels also ensured a decent permeability and retention ability of water, which was critical to the ecosystems. In conclusion, a tough, water-resistant, and multi-functional mussel mimicry hydrogel has been devised. It holds great promise as the next-generation cement-free, ecofriendly, and sustainable soil stabilizers.

中文翻译：

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通过仿贻贝防水水凝胶实现可持续的无水泥土壤稳定

在土壤稳定中使用水凝胶代替水泥被认为具有巨大的环境效益。然而，由于膨胀引起的结构变形和机械弱化，目前的水凝胶土壤稳定剂不能在潮湿条件下正常发挥作用，这大大限制了它们的应用。为了克服当前的技术限制并实现可持续的无水泥土壤稳定，我们开发了一种防水水​​凝胶土壤稳定剂，该稳定剂受贻贝足的启发，可在干燥和潮湿条件下发挥作用。将精心配制的含有甲基丙烯酸和丙烯酰胺的前体倒入土壤中，并通过现场聚合进行固化。³ )和超低溶胀比。用这种水凝胶加固的土壤在空气和水中都能保持很高的强度（高达 2.9 MPa），这是以前从未实现过的。水凝胶固有的亲水性还确保了良好的水渗透性和保留能力，这对生态系统至关重要。总之，已设计出一种坚韧、防水且多功能的贻贝拟态水凝胶。它作为下一代无水泥、生态友好和可持续的土壤稳定剂具有广阔的前景。