Mechanical Properties of the ‘Stretchable’ Polyacrylamide-Gelatin Double Network Hydrogel

Abstract:

Double network (DN) hydrogels have drawn considerable attention as innovative materials possessing both high water content as well as improved mechanical properties. In this study, DN hydrogels were formed from a combination of two hydrogel networks. The first network composed of acrylamide (AAm) and N’,N’-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAAm). AAm and MBAAm were covalently crosslinked via photopolymerization simultaneously with/without the presence of the second network pre-gel mixture; physically crosslinked gelatin-calcium carbonate (GCa). The mechanical properties characterization of the hydrogels revealed that tensile strength, Young’s modulus and elongation at break increased with the increasing amount of second network component; i.e. GCa. These data could confirmed that the polyacrylamide (PAAm)-GCa DN hydrogels possessed ‘stretchability’ character. Overall, PAAm-GCa DN hydrogels had shown better mechanical strength than the PAAm single network hydrogels. We foreseen that DN hydrogels are highly potential to be developed as artificial muscles.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 695)
• Pages: 328-331
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.695.328
• Online since: November 2014
• Authors: Nadia Adrus*, Nur Farizah Ayub, Nurul Atika Mohd Amer, Jamarosliza Jamaluddin
• Keywords: Double Network, Gelatin-Calcium Carbonate (GCa), Polyacrylamide Hydrogel, Stretchable

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