A Novel Hydrogel with High Mechanical Strength: A Macromolecular Microsphere Composite Hydrogel

Abstract

A novel hydrogel with a new, well- defined network structure is prepared through a two-step method in which the radiation-peroxidized macromolecular microspheres act as both initiators and crosslinkers. The macromolecular microsphere composite hydrogel (see figure) can effectively dissipate applied mechanical stress and has extremely high mechanical strength. Some of the hydrogels can nearly completely recover their original shapes, even after an extremely high strain (99.7%) in compression tests.