responsible for the reversible change of the elastic modulus upon wet and dry conditions.This new type of material shows a qualitatively improved behavior from that of traditional swellable elastomers that become less stiff as they absorb liquid water, making it an ideal candidate for sealing application as an alternative to cement for oil field zonal isolation applications. Furthermore, the reversible mechanical responsiveness to the wet environment, enables by the salt bridges, is very interesting for other application such as car tires with variable tread to suit driving in dry or wet conditions.