Self-healing, conductive and magnetic ZnFe2O4/MCNT/PPy ternary composite hydrogels

Abstract

Self-healing hydrogel has become a hot spot for various practical applications such as biomedical materials and electron devices. However, developing composite hydrogels with self-healing, conductive, magnetic and other properties still remains a serious challenge. In this paper, we developed self-healing, conductive and magnetic ZnFe2O4/MCNT/PPy ternary composite hydrogels based on PVA. The composite hydrogels possessed several features including a high stretchability (about 800%), good electrical conductivity (0.3465 S m−1) and nice magnetism (4.10 emu g−1). Furthermore, the composite hydrogels exhibited excellent self-healing property owed to the dynamic interactions (boric acid ester bonds and hydrogen bonds). Due to the conductivity, magnetism, self-healing and other properties, the novel composite hydrogels were expected to be a promising material in many advanced applications, such as electronic skins, drug delivery carriers and electromagnetic interference shielding. In addition, we have reason to believe that the biocompatibility and easy-remolding property of the composite hydrogels would make them a great candidate for 3D printing technique of human organs.