Visible-light-assisted multimechanism design for one-step engineering tough hydrogels in seconds

Abstract

Tough hydrogels that are capable of efficient mechanical energy dissipation and withstanding large strains have potential applications in diverse areas. However, most reported fabrication strategies are performed in multiple steps with long-time UV irradiation or heating at high temperatures, limiting their biological and industrial applications. Hydrogels formed with a single pair of mechanisms are unstable in harsh conditions. Here we report a one-step, biocompatible, straightforward and general strategy to prepare tough soft hydrogels in a few tens of seconds under mild conditions. With a multimechanism design, the network structures remarkably improve the mechanical properties of hydrogels and maintain their high toughness in various environments. The broad compatibility of the proposed method with a spectrum of printing technologies makes it suitable for potential applications requiring high-resolution patterns/structures. This strategy opens horizons to inspire the design and application of high-performance hydrogels in fields of material chemistry, tissue engineering, and flexible electronics.

Strong Tough Polyampholyte Hydrogels via the Synergistic Effect of Ionic and Metal–Ligand Bonds

“…[ 12,14–19 ] Among them, double‐network (DN) hydrogels, consisting of a densely cross‐linked first network and a loosely cross‐linked second network, show a high strength (megapascal level) and high fracture energy (≈10 3 J m −2 ). [ 13,20,21 ] The outstanding mechanical properties of the DN gels are attributed to the covalent bonds breakage of the first network when resisting deformation and crack, providing numerous sacrificial bonds to prevent bulk failure of the material. The sacrificial bond mechanism provides a general approach for the design of strong and tough gels.…”

Natural Polysaccharides as Multifunctional Components for One‐Step 3D Printing Tough Hydrogels

“…[ 18,34 ] Meanwhile, the excited Ru(II) is oxidized to Ru(III), which triggers the coupling of phenol groups and the release of metal ions from ethylenediaminetetraacetic (EDTA) salts (Figure S1, Supporting Information). [ 35 ] These photoreactions facilitate the simultaneous construction of different covalent and ionic networks. Consequently, a sol‐gel transition occurs and contrasting multinetworks are formed within tens of seconds under irradiation.…”

Recent Advances in Patterning Natural Polymers: From Nanofabrication Techniques to Applications

“…developed a one‐step, rapid and biocompatible strategy to fabricate tough soft hydrogels for biological electronics. [ 142 ] Such tough hydrogels contained guluronic acid‐containing alginate, phenol‐containing polymers (silk fibroin, gelatin, or bovine serum albumin), and soft elastomeric polymers (acrylamide). Notably, this hydrogel was readily compatible with patterning techniques, which was attributed to the unique and rapid fabrication process.…”