Crystallization-Reinforced Slippery Organogels with High Toughness and Durable Lubricating Surface

Lubricating organogels with ultralow interfacial friction are highly attractive, yet the high solvent content typically markedly compromises their mechanical performance, severely limiting practical applicability. To address this challenge, we propose a crystallization-reinforced strategy to simultaneously achieve high strength and durable lubricating surfaces. Specifically, a double-network lubricating organogel (PCHA-EVA) is fabricated by integrating a solvent-affine poly(2-cyclohexyl acrylate) (PCHA) network with a semicrystalline ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) network, swollen in a polydimethylsiloxane oil lubricating agent. Structural characterizations reveal a bicontinuous phase-separated morphology, in which the crystalline polymer forms a continuous load-bearing phase that effectively improves energy dissipation and fracture resistance. Consequently, the organogel exhibits striking reinforcement, with mechanical properties approximately two orders of magnitude higher than its single-network counterpart, achieving a Young’s modulus of 7.81 MPa, fracture strength of 10.2 MPa, and toughness of 29.4 MJ m -3 . Moreover, owing to the temperature-sensitive crystallinity, the organogel displays pronounced thermo-softening, enabling rapid self-recovery and programmable shape memory. Furthermore, the lubricating surface confers excellent interfacial functionalities, including efficient droplet manipulation, ultralow ice adhesion, delayed frosting, and superior antifouling performance. The crystallization-reinforced strategy presented here effectively balances mechanical robustness and lubrication performance, offering a versatile and scalable approach to high-performance lubricating materials for diverse applications. • A crystallization-reinforced strategy is first proposed in slippery organogels. • The organogels achieve both high toughness and durable lubrication. • The organogels displays pronounced thermo-softening, enabling programmable shape memory. • The organogels show versatile potentials in droplet manipulation, anti-icing, and anti-fouling.