Issue 41, 2019

Double network hydrogels based on semi-rigid polyelectrolyte physical networks

Abstract

Applying the double network principle to develop tough hydrogels with different polymer chemistries is important for the potential application of hydrogel materials. Synthesis of the two interpenetrated networks with contrasting structure and properties required for double networks usually involves a two-step polymerization process. In this work, we present a new method to synthesize tough double network hydrogels by post-physical crosslinking of linear semi-rigid polyelectrolytes entrapped in a chemically crosslinked neutral network. Owing to their semi-rigid structure, the linear polyelectrolytes form a brittle physical network above their overlap concentration in multi-valent ZrCl2O ion solutions without macroscopic phase separation within the flexible neutral network. The double network hydrogels thus prepared exhibit high modulus (∼1.7 MPa), strength (∼1.3 MPa), fracture strain (∼7.3), and strain energy density (∼5.9 MJ m−3), while containing over 80% water. These materials also exhibit modest self-healing ability (∼51% after 30 minutes), demonstrating an additional benefit of a physical sacrificial network. This method is simpler than the conventional two-step polymerization and could be applied to develop tough hydrogels from rigid polyelectrolytes, including biopolymers such as DNA, HA, and chondroitin sulfate.

Graphical abstract: Double network hydrogels based on semi-rigid polyelectrolyte physical networks

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
18 jun 2019
Accepted
10 jul 2019
First published
11 jul 2019

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2019,7, 6347-6354

Double network hydrogels based on semi-rigid polyelectrolyte physical networks

R. Takahashi, T. Ikai, T. Kurokawa, D. R. King and J. P. Gong, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2019, 7, 6347 DOI: 10.1039/C9TB01217F

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