{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]],"date-time":"2026-10-19T13:54:16Z","timestamp":1792418056961,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"58","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783900800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783900800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Advanced Science"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Water is generally considered a plasticizer that weakens polymer mechanical properties. Here, we show that in polyacrylamide (PAM), water plays distinct roles depending on its state in the polymer matrix: free water plasticizes PAM into a soft gel, whereas bound water forms strong PAM\u2013water\u2013PAM hydrogen\u2010bond networks that surpass direct PAM\u2013PAM interactions, enabling ultra\u2010strong PAM. Confined bound water reinforces the polymer matrix, increasing the tensile modulus from \u223c0.6 to 9.2 GPa and the tensile strength from 2.7 to 140\u00a0MPa, while also yielding record\u2010high flexural (197\u00a0MPa) and compressive (178\u00a0MPa) strengths. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that bound water organizes into linear nanoclusters that dynamically couple polymer chains, maximizing interchain cohesion and enabling efficient energy dissipation under stress. The resulting material surpasses many high\u2010performance polymers, including polyamide\u2010imide (PAI), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), and polyimide (PI), and exhibits exceptional flame resistance (limiting oxygen index \u223c46). These findings establish bound water as an intrinsic structural enhancer, redefining its role in polymer reinforcement and providing a new design strategy for high\u2010performance synthetic polymers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/advs.76537","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T12:42:08Z","timestamp":1783946528000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Bound Water as a Reinforcing Element for Ultra\u2010Strong Polyacrylamide"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Sirawit","family":"Pruksawan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nannan","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zehuang","family":"Lin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"},{"name":"Department of Materials Science and Engineering National University of Singapore (NUS)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jianwei","family":"Zheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Terence Jun En","family":"Loh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"},{"name":"Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yi Ting","family":"Chong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Junhua","family":"Kong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xunan","family":"Hou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materials Science and Engineering National University of Singapore (NUS)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xian Jun","family":"Loh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8200-8337","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chaobin","family":"He","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"},{"name":"Department of Materials Science and Engineering National University of Singapore (NUS)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6980-5857","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"FuKe","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)  Singapore Republic of Singapore"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_9_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-022-31889-x"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acsnano.3c06773"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/jacs.1c07151"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.chemrev.2c00477"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/ja4002713"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00223\u2010015\u20109977\u20105"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ncomms6942"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adfm.201901077"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.chemrev.5b00664"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmbbm.2019.103454"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.compscitech.2020.108426"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1088\/0964\u20101726\/20\/8\/085010"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/polym14142832"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/polym17141996"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2523755123"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.202519933"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1039\/D3SC05377F"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-024-50328-7"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/polym15020386"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/polym11030477"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1039\/C7RA11710H"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ma12233955"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.chemmater.8b05262"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acsami.1c04577"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s43246-025-00818-y"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/ma9901947"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.addma.2021.102423"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cej.2025.164607"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s44334-024-00005-w"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.chemrev.7b00074"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adfm.202003062"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.abg6320"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_34_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmps.2022.105099"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_35_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.201600466"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.progpolymsci.2014.11.003"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_37_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature06669"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_38_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1143176"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_39_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.202301532"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_40_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/cr010439p"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_41_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0032\u20103861(01)00358\u20105"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_42_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1590\/S0100\u201040422012000700030"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_43_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcis.2005.10.037"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_44_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.seppur.2025.134539"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_45_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/ma051081s"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_46_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.jpclett.0c01259"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_47_1","volume-title":"An Introduction to Hydrogen Bonding","author":"Jeffrey G. A.","year":"1997"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_48_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/1521\u20103773(20020104)41:1<48::AID\u2010ANIE48>3.0.CO;2\u2010U"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_49_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0079\u20106107(84)90007\u20105"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_50_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/polym12071518"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_51_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/pola.1987.080250711"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_52_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02156514"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_53_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.polymdegradstab.2021.109697"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_54_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eurpolymj.2023.112383"}],"container-title":["Advanced Science"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/advs.76537","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1002\/advs.76537","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/advs.76537","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]],"date-time":"2026-10-19T13:13:13Z","timestamp":1792415593000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/advs.76537"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]]},"references-count":53,"journal-issue":{"issue":"58","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1002\/advs.76537"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/advs.76537","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["2198-3844","2198-3844"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2198-3844","type":"print"},{"value":"2198-3844","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2026-06-02","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-06-24","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-07-13","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e76537"}}