Silicone-based tough hydrogels with high resilience, fast self-recovery, and self-healing properties

Abstract

Tough hydrogels are prepared from two monomers via photopolymerization of hydroxyethyl acrylate and sol-gel of methyltrimethoxysilane. Constitution and water content could be tuned easily because of the good water solubility of both monomers and two non-interfering polymerization processes. The hydrogels exhibit excellent integrated performance with toughness, high resilience, fast self-recovery, and self-healing.