Muscle Contraction-Inspired\nTough Hydrogels

Abstract

In many animals, tough skeletal muscle contraction occurs,\nproducing\na strong force through myofilaments attaching to and sliding on fibrous\nactin filaments. In contrast, the strength of typical synthetic hydrogels\nis facilitated mainly by polymeric chains. We propose a strategy for\ndeveloping strong and tough hydrogels in which the side groups on\npolymeric chains strongly interact with dispersing medium. The hydrogels\nare fabricated with a polyacrylamide–alginate double network\nin a choline chloride saturated solution. The hydrogels are not only\nhighly transparent, tough, fatigue-resistant, self-recovering, self-healing,\nand adhesive but also water-retentive, antifreezing, and conductive.\nThe hydrogels are strengthened by hydrogen bonds in dispersing medium\nwith a clathrate framework structure. This work may inspire the development\nof tough and conductive gels for applications of e-skins, soft robots,\nand intelligent devices.