Self-Healing Hydrogels with both LCST and UCST through Cross-Linking Induced Thermo-Response
Haifeng Zhao,
Heng An,
Baozhong Xi,
Yan Yang,
Jianglei Qin,
Yong Wang,
Yingna He,
Xinguo Wang
Affiliations
Haifeng Zhao
Hebei Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Research on Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease, Pharmaceutical College, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, China
Heng An
College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
Baozhong Xi
Hebei Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Research on Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease, Pharmaceutical College, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, China
Yan Yang
Hebei Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Research on Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease, Pharmaceutical College, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, China
Jianglei Qin
College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
Yong Wang
Medical College, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
Yingna He
Hebei Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Research on Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease, Pharmaceutical College, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, China
Xinguo Wang
Hebei TCM Formula Granule Technology Innovation Center & TCM Formula Granule Research Center of Hebei Province University, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, China
Self-healing hydrogels have drawngreat attention in the past decade since the self-healing property is one of the characteristics of living creatures. In this study, poly(acrylamide-stat-diacetone acrylamide) P(AM-stat-DAA) with a pendant ketone group was synthesized from easy accessible monomers, and thermo-responsive self-healing hydrogels were prepared through a series of diacylhydrazide compounds cross-linking without any additional stimulus. Although the copolymers do not show thermo-response, the hydrogels became thermo-responsive andboth the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and upper critical solution temperature (UCST) varied with the composition of the copolymer and structure of cross-linkers. With a dynamic covalent bond connection, the hydrogel showed gel-sol-gel transition triggered by acidity, redox, and ketone to acylhydrazide group ratios. This is another interesting cross-linking induced thermo-responsive (CIT) hydrogel with different properties compared to PNIPAM-based thermo-responsive hydrogels. The self-healing hydrogel with CIT properties could have great potential for application in areas related to bioscience, life simulation, and temperature switching.
