Premium
A Universal Molecular Stent Method to Toughen any Hydrogels Based on Double Network Concept
Author(s) -
Nakajima Tasuku,
Sato Hitomi,
Zhao Yu,
Kawahara Shinya,
Kurokawa Takayuki,
Sugahara Kazuyuki,
Gong Jian Ping
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201200809
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , polyelectrolyte , materials science , polymer network , polymer , polymer science , chemical engineering , interpenetrating polymer network , nanotechnology , composite material , polymer chemistry , engineering
Double‐network hydrogels (DN gels), despite their high water content, are the strongest and toughest soft and wet materials available. However, in conventional DN gels, which show extraordinarily high mechanical performance comparable to that of industrial rubbers, the first network must be a strong polyelectrolyte and this requirement greatly hinders the widespread application of these gels. A general method involving the use of a “molecular stent” for the synthesis of tough DN gels using any hydrophilic polymer as the first network is reported. This is the first reported method for the synthesis of tough DN gels using various neutral or weak polyelectrolyte hydrogels as the first network. This method helps extend the DN gel concept to various functional polymers and may increase the number of applications of hydrogels in various fields.