Rubber-like DNA hydrogel enabled by fast-shrinking-induced entanglement.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Sustainable Materials

Background:

• Biomass DNA presents a sustainable resource for material development.
• Scalable production of DNA-based materials with high mechanical strength is a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel process for creating robust, rubber-like DNA hydrogels.
• To overcome limitations in mechanical properties for biomass DNA materials.

Main Methods:

• Developed a Fast-Shrinking-Induced Entanglement (FaSIE) process.
• Utilized ultra-long chain biomass DNA.
• Controlled chain relaxation kinetics during hydrogel formation.

Main Results:

• Achieved DNA hydrogels with stiffness >800 kPa, toughness >5 MJ/m³, and stretchability >1000%.
• FaSIE process significantly enhanced entanglement density.
• Demonstrated high-resolution 3D printing and fabrication of soft magnetic robots.

Conclusions:

• The FaSIE process enables the creation of mechanically robust hydrogels solely from biomass DNA.
• This strategy offers a pathway for large-scale production of resilient DNA materials.
• The developed DNA hydrogels have broad applicability in advanced material applications.