Amylopectin based hydrogel strain sensor with good biocompatibility, high toughness and stable anti-swelling in multiple liquid media. (5th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gao, Yan; Wang, Yi; Dai, Yuyin; Wang, Qi; Xiang, Peng; Li, Yinghua; Gao, Guanghui
• Is Part Of: European polymer journal. Volume 164(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-02-05
• Subjects: Anti-swelling -- Non-toxic -- Moderate sensitivity -- Excellent biocompatibility; Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; Polymères -- Périodiques; Polymérisation -- Périodiques; Polymerization; Polymers; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 547.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2021.110981
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0014-3057

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: PVA and Amy endowed hydrogel with excellent biocompatible and non-toxicity. The hydrogel exhibited stable anti-swelling performance in multiple liquid media. The hydrogel with ultra-toughness and fatigue resistance for strain sensors. Hydrogel with high sensitivity served as transducer for monitoring human motions. Abstract: Anti-swelling hydrogels have been used as underwater sensors, underwater actuators and artificial biomimetic cartilage. In order to improve the anti-swelling property, most hydrogels introduce environment-unfriendly chemical crosslinkers or organic solvents into the polymer network to enhance the crosslinking density of the network, which limits their application in the body. Therefore, we settled a dense hydrogen-bond network by introducing hyperbranched amylopectin (Amy) into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to prepare a non-toxic, biocompatible, tough hydrogel sensor. In addition, the hydrogels exhibit significant anti-swelling performance in various liquid media (such as swelling rates = 3.55%, in seawater) and excellent mechanical properties due to strong intermolecular hydrogen bond between Amy and PVA as well as the salting-out effect induced by sodium chloride (NaCl). Moreover, the hydrogels show moderate sensitivity (GF = 4.96), rapid response, signal stability and negligible hysteresis, which can be used to detect a variety of physiological signals and human movements. More significantly, the hydrogels have excellent biocompatibility and potential application prospects in the implantable sensors and medical fields.