1 research outputs found
Bilayer Hydrogels by Reactive-Induced Macrophase Separation
Bilayer hydrogels encoded with smart functions have emerged
as
promising soft materials for engineered biological tissues and human-machine
interfaces, due to the versatility and flexibility in designing their
mechanical and chemical properties. However, conventional fabrication
strategies often require multiple complicated steps to create an anisotropic
bilayer structure with poor interfaces, which significantly limit
the scope of bilayer hydrogel applications. Here, we reported a general,
one-pot, macrophase separation strategy to fabricate a family of bilayer
hydrogels made of vinyl and styryl monomers with a seamless interface
and a controllable layer separation efficiency (20–99%). The
working principle of a macrophase separation strategy allows for the
decoupling of the two gelation processes to form distinct vinyl- and
styryl-enriched layers by manipulating competitive polymerization
reactions between vinyl and styryl monomers. This work presents a
straightforward approach and a diverse range of radical monomers,
which can be utilized to create next-generation bilayer hydrogels,
beyond a few available today