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Dual ionically cross-linked hydrogels with ultra-tough, stable, and self-healing properties

  • Polymers & biopolymers
  • Published:
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Abstract

Excellent mechanical and self-healing features could make hydrogels an ideal candidate for the application of load-bearing soft tissue replacements such as cartilage. In this study, a dual ionically cross-linked 2-hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (HACC)/poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc)-Fe3+ hydrogel was constructed using a one-pot method (in situ polymerization of AAc in the presence of HACC and Fe3+). Both macromolecular positively charged HACC and Fe3+ metal ions acted as cross-linkers to form ionic bonds with negatively charged PAAc. The HACC/PAAc-Fe3+ hydrogels demonstrated ultra-high mechanical strengths (tensile strength of ca. 9.86 MPa and compressive stresses greater than 95 MPa at 99% strain), excellent self-recoverability (ca. over 90% toughness recovery within 5 h without any external stimuli), outstanding self-healing properties (ca. 74% self-healing efficiency at 70 °C for 48 h), transparency, and high stabilities in aqueous environments. The mechanical properties of the hydrogels could be adjusted by varying the concentration of HACC and Fe3+. This work provides a new approach for the construction of novel tough and transparent hydrogels with a fully ionically cross-linked network.

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Abbreviations

3T3:

Mouse embryo fibroblasts

AAc:

Acroleic acid

APS:

Ammonium persulfate

ATR-FTIR:

Attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared

CCK-8:

Cell counting kit-8

DMEM:

Dulbecco’s modified eagle’s medium

FBS:

Fetal bovine serum

HACC:

2-Hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan

PAAc:

Polyacrylic acid

PAM:

Polyacrylamide

SEM:

Scanning electron microscope

UV–Vis:

Ultraviolet–visible

XG:

Xanthan gum

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51173070), National Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong, China (No. 2016A030313097), and the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou, China (No. 201707010264).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China

    Bo Xu, Xiong Zhang, Shuchun Gan, Jianhao Zhao & Jianhua Rong

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  1. Bo Xu
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  2. Xiong Zhang
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  3. Shuchun Gan
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  4. Jianhao Zhao
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Correspondence to Jianhua Rong.

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Xu, B., Zhang, X., Gan, S. et al. Dual ionically cross-linked hydrogels with ultra-tough, stable, and self-healing properties. J Mater Sci 54, 14218–14232 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-019-03773-5

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