Highly Stretchable Hydrogel Using Vinyl Modified Narrow Dispersed Silica Particles as Cross‐Linker

Abstract

Abstract Hydrogel is advertently pertinent in numerous practical applications, but their breadth of use is often significantly restricted by their poor mechanical strength, including low toughness and reduced stretchability. A number of efforts to synthesize hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties have already been rendered. However, a simple and widely adopted strategy for producing hydrogel with desirable strength and biocompatibility has yet to be materialized. Here, we have reported a hydrogel with incredible stretchability and toughness by strengthening the polyacrylamide (PAAm) network structure utilizing narrowly dispersed silica particles (SiO 2 ) as a cross‐linker. SiO 2 particles, grafted with vinyl end groups comprising 3‐(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (MPTS), were used as a macro‐crosslinker (MSiO 2 ) during the polymerization reaction of AAm to formulate hydrogel. The unique nature of synthesized hydrogel comprising both organic and inorganic compounds led to a rise in their wide‐spread applications as they have exceptional stretching and toughness of ∼59,400 Jm −2 . Additionally, all synthesized hydrogels demonstrate high transparency in visible light wavelengths (above 75 %). The hydrogels exhibit significantly enhanced mechanical performance compared with the other ordinary type hydrogel prepared by conventional cross‐linker.