Fiber-reinforced hydrogels: From multiscale structural design to advanced engineering applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Biomaterials Engineering

Background:

• Hydrogels are polymer networks with high water content, mimicking soft tissues.
• Traditional hydrogels suffer from low mechanical strength, poor toughness, and fatigue susceptibility.
• Natural soft tissues offer inspiration for enhancing hydrogel mechanical properties through fibrous reinforcement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the advancements in fiber-reinforced hydrogels.
• To explore various reinforcing fibers and their interfacial interactions with hydrogel matrices.
• To summarize preparation techniques and discuss applications and future challenges.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on fiber-reinforced hydrogels.
• Categorization of reinforcing fibers (natural, synthetic, inorganic, carbon-based).
• Analysis of interfacial interactions (physical entanglement, noncovalent, covalent bonds).
• Summary of preparation methods (in situ infiltration, directional freezing, 3D printing).

Main Results:

• Fiber reinforcement significantly improves hydrogel mechanical strength, toughness, and fatigue resistance.
• Diverse fiber types and interfacial interactions offer tunable properties.
• Established preparation methods enable controlled fabrication of fiber-reinforced hydrogels.
• Successful applications demonstrated in medicine, sensing, and wearable devices.

Conclusions:

• Fiber-reinforced hydrogels present a promising solution to overcome the limitations of traditional hydrogels.
• Precise interface regulation and scalable manufacturing are key areas for future development.
• These advanced hydrogels hold significant potential for next-generation biomedical and electronic devices.