Bacterial cellulose reinforced double-network hydrogels for shape memory strand

Tough hydrogels with shape memory property are highly desirable for actuators and smart engineering materials. Herein, super-tough polyacrylamide/iota-carrageenan double-network hydrogels were synthesized via a one-pot radical polymerization and strengthened by incorporating bacterial cellulose microclusters, through the intermolecular hydrogen bonds and topological interlock between microclusters and polymer network. Such hydrogels were able to withstand over 200 kPa of tensile stress, or be stretched over 27 times of initial length, and reached a high toughness of ∼2000 kJ/m³. By tension-drying and post-annealing treatments on the strongest hydrogel, dry strands were fabricated to withstand over 100 MPa of tensile stress. Moreover, these strands presented water-stimulated shape memory by a recovery ratio of 84.3 % in 4 min. Based on these characteristics, this super-tough hydrogel may serve as smart textile or actuator for a variety of applications.