Guo Xiaolei, Zhang Hao, Wu Manman, Tian Zhan, Chen Yanru, Bao Rui, Hao Jinghao, Cheng Xiao, Zhou Chuanjian
Research Institute of Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
Gels. 2024 Dec 2;10(12):788. doi: 10.3390/gels10120788.
Hydrogels, known for their outstanding water absorption, flexibility, and biocompatibility, have been widely utilized in various fields. Nevertheless, their application is still limited by their relatively low mechanical performance. This study has successfully developed a dual-network hydrogel with exceptional mechanical properties by embedding amino-functionalized polysiloxane (APSi) networks into a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix. This hydrogel effectively dissipates energy through dense sacrificial bonds between the networks, allowing for precise control over its tensile strength (ranging from 0.07 to 1.46 MPa) and toughness (from 0.06 to 2.17 MJ/m) by adjusting the degree of crosslinking in the polysiloxane network. Additionally, the hydrogel exhibits excellent conductivity (10.97 S/cm) and strain sensitivity (GF = 1.43), indicating its potential for use in wearable strain sensors. Moreover, at the end of its life (EOL), the sensor waste can be repurposed as an adsorbent material for metal ions in water treatment, achieving the recycling of hydrogel materials and maximizing resource utilization.
水凝胶以其出色的吸水性、柔韧性和生物相容性而闻名，已在各个领域得到广泛应用。然而，其应用仍然受到相对较低的机械性能的限制。本研究通过将氨基官能化聚硅氧烷（APSi）网络嵌入聚乙烯醇（PVA）基质中，成功开发出一种具有优异机械性能的双网络水凝胶。这种水凝胶通过网络之间密集的牺牲键有效地耗散能量，通过调节聚硅氧烷网络中的交联度，可以精确控制其拉伸强度（范围为0.07至1.46MPa）和韧性（从0.06至2.17MJ/m）。此外，该水凝胶具有出色的导电性（10.97S/cm）和应变敏感性（GF = 1.43），表明其在可穿戴应变传感器中的应用潜力。此外，在其使用寿命结束时（EOL），传感器废料可重新用作水处理中金属离子的吸附材料，实现水凝胶材料的回收利用并最大限度地提高资源利用率。
