Synthesis mechanical properties and self-healing behavior of aliphatic polycarbonate hydrogels based on cooperation hydrogen bonds

Abstract

The weak mechanical property of hydrogels is a major obstacle to their extensive applications. Although many strategies are devoted to improve their mechanical properties, it is still a challenge to synthesize hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties and highly self-healing behaviors. Herein, we develop a novel aliphatic polycarbonate hydrogels with collaborative hydrogen bonds. In this work, the monomer 2-methyl-2-benzyloxy carbonyl propylene carbonate (MBC) is ring-opened by the hydroxyl group of methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG113, Mn = 5000) based on the bulk polymerization approach. The monomer MBC as a hard segment contains abundant oxygen atoms and has a relatively high dynamic because of the steric effect of the benzene ring, which will facilitate further the formation of cooperative hydrogen bonds between the carbonyl and hydroxyl groups. The obtained hydrogels exhibited the excellent properties, such as outstanding mechanical properties, including higher storage modulus and loss modulus, it can be adjusted by the variation of the catalyst ratio. The brilliant ability of self-healing at room temperature that only takes 3 h to heal the fracture surface, without requiring any external stimuli. Thus, we provide a prospective strategy for the fabrication of split-new tough hydrogel with cooperative hydrogen bonding, which will increase the possibility of wide application of hydrogel.