Double-Network Organohydrogels Toughened by Solvent Exchange.

Double-network hydrogels based on calcium alginate have been extensively exploited. Unfortunately, their low strength and unstable constitution to open environments limit their application potentials. Herein, we propose a new type of double-network organohydrogel (OHG). By solvent exchange, a stable physical network is established based on dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-alginate in presence of a polyacrylamide network. The DMSO content endows tunable mechanical properties, with a maximum tensile strength at ∼1.7 MPa. Importantly, the OHG shows much better environmental stability comparing to the conventional double-network hydrogels. Due to the reversible association of hydrogen bonds, the OHG possesses some unique properties, including free-shapeability, shape-memory, and self-adhesion, that offers several promising ways to utilize alginate-based gels for wide applications. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.