Fast self-healing of graphene oxide-hectorite clay-poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) hybrid hydrogels realized by near-infrared irradiation.
Self-healing hydrogels were proposed to be used as biomaterials, because of the capability of spontaneously healing injury, but most of the reported self-healing hydrogels do not possess high mechanical strength and fast self-healing at the same time. Herein, we prepared graphene oxide (GO)-hectorite clay-poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMAA) hybrid hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties and fast self-healing capability realized by near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. The physical cross-linking between clay sheets and PDMAA chains provided the hydrogel with mechanical strength to maintain its stability in shape and architecture. GO sheets in the hybrid hydrogels acted as not only a collaborative cross-linking agent but also as a NIR absorber to absorb the NIR irradiation energy and transform it to thermal energy rapidly and efficiently, resulting in a rapid temperature increase of the GO containing gels. The chain mutual diffusion and the reformation of physical cross-linking occurred more quickly at higher temperature; consequently, the damaged hydrogel was almost completely recovered in a few minutes upon irradiation. We also demonstrated a potential application of the hybrid hydrogel as a self-healing surgical dressing.
['Zhang|Enzhong|E|', 'Wang|Tao|T|', 'Zhao|Lei|L|', 'Sun|Weixiang|W|', 'Liu|Xinxing|X|', 'Tong|Zhen|Z|']
D000178:Acrylamides D000538:Aluminum Silicates D001458:Bandages D000077215:Clay D006108:Graphite D006244:Hardness D020100:Hydrogels D007259:Infrared Rays D008422:Materials Testing D053758:Nanoparticles D010087:Oxides D010316:Particle Size D017640:Silicates D013718:Tensile Strength
self-healing hybrid hydrogel near-infrared graphene oxide PDMAA