Phys.org   March 13, 2024 Researchers at the University of Maryland discovered that hard, electrical conductors (e.g., metals or graphite) could be adhered to soft, aqueous materials (e.g., hydrogels, fruit, or animal tissue) by a low DC electric field. They applied 5 V DC to graphite slabs spanning a tall cylindrical gel of acrylamide which resulted in a strong adhesion between the anode (+) and the gel in about 3 min. This adhesion lasted after the field was removed. They called it hard–soft electroadhesion or EA[HS]. Depending on the material, adhesion occurred at the anode (+), cathode (−), or both electrodes. […]