Salt-welding strategy for the design of repairable impact-resistant and wear-resistant hydrogels.

ABSTRACT: Self-healing hydrogels can autonomously repair damage, enhancing their performance stability and broadening their applications as soft devices. Although the incorporation of dynamic interactions enhances self-healing capabilities, it simultaneously weakens the hydrogels' strength. External stimuli such as heating, while accelerating the healing process, may also lead to dehydration. Developing a stable repair strategy that combines rapid healing and high mechanical strength is challenging. Here, we introduce "salt-welding" for high-strength hydrogels with rapid room temperature self-healing. This is achieved through dynamic borate ester bonds in a salt-responsive poly(methacrylamide) hydrogel. The process involves "salt-fusion" to convert fractures into a viscous liquid for swift healing,

SUBMITTER: Jia J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11759658 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature