Preparation of Adhesive Hydrogels Based on Phase Separation

Abstract

As the focus on smart materials continues to grow, the development of self-healing hydrogels has advanced significantly in recent years. Traditional hydrogels suffer from poor mechanical properties and limited or no adhesion, hindering their usage in popular fields such as sensors. To expand the applications of hydrogels, it is crucial to enhance their adhesion properties. In this study, a non-adhesive PVA hydrogel was produced using the freeze-thaw method. The PVA hydrogel was then soaked in a 70% acetone solution, which caused the phase separation of the hydrogel. This phase separation technique transforms the original non-adhesive hydrogel into a strong adhesive with high adhesion, addressing the shortcomings of PVA hydrogels in practical engineering applications and providing a novel approach for the preparation of new adhesives.