Strong, tough and conductive single-network hydrogels based on deswelling and the salting-out effect

In recent years, the continuous attention given to increasing the fracture toughness and Young's modulus of polymeric gels has gradually shifted from toughening strategies on double-network (DN) gels to single-network (SN) gels. The salt-soaking method has been adopted to realize the toughening of SN gels through the salting-out effect and deswelling, constructing dense network structures with simultaneously precipitated polymer chains and cross-links. By comparing the mechanical properties between salt-treated hydrogels and air-dried hydrogels, the increased polymer chain concentration is proved to promote energy transfer by enlarging the dissipation region size due to the unwinding and slippage of coiled chains during stretching. The newly formed cross-link points in salt-treated hydrogels are considered to consume more deformation energy during stretching. The synergistic effect in energy transfer and dissipation arising from increases in polymer fraction and cross-linking plays an indispensable role in toughening SN hydrogels. In addition, the soaking process introduces abundant free ions to endow hydrogels with prominent conductivity. Thus, this salt-soaking method provides a general approach to synthesize strong, tough and conductive hydrogels with applications in flexible electrical devices.