Double-network hydrogels (DN hydrogels), presenting high mechanical strength compared to traditional hydrogels due to their unique microstructures, allowing them become promising biomaterials in a variety of biomedical applications. However, current DN hydrogels face the challenges of lacking diversity in network structure, resulting in limited properties and functionalities.<br/>Recently, researchers incorporate nanomaterials in the DN hydrogels to prepare nanocomposite DN hydrogels, aiming to address the challenges of DN hydrogels. Nanocomposite DN hydrogels present great mechanical properties, however, some of them are lacking of self-healing property and some are able to be self-healed but the healing time is up to 30 mins to few hours.<br/>Here, we fabricated a versatile nanocomposite DN hydrogels using multiple interfacial crosslinking chemistries to increase the complexity in hydrogel structure and also provide self-healing ability. The nanocomposite DN hydrogels were prepared by triethylene glycolated chitosan (TEG-CS) and polydextran aldehyde (PDA) through the imine bond formation between amine and aldehyde groups. Phenylboronic acid functionalized reduced graphene oxide (PBA-rGO) was utilized as multivalent crosslinkers to further crosslink TEG-CS and PDA. The electrostatic interaction was occurred between PBA-rGO and TEG-CS, and the boronate ester bond was formed between PBA-rGO and PDA at the same time. The designed nanocomposite DN hydrogels presented outstanding strength, self-healing, shear-thinning, and injectable properties. Most importantly, the properties and microstructures of the nanocomposite DN hydrogels can be simply modulated by changing the size and amount of PBA-rGO.<br/>Taken together, we hereby provide a multiplex crosslinking approach to fabricate a new class of nanocomposite DN hydrogels with controllable networks and desired properties for specific biomedical applications.

Printable nanocomposite double-network hydrogels with imine and boronate ester dynamic covalent bonds

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.