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. 2017 Jun 20;9(6):237.
doi: 10.3390/polym9060237.

Design and Fabrication of Bilayer Hydrogel System with Self-Healing and Detachment Properties Achieved by Near-Infrared Irradiation

Qian Zhao  1 , Wenhua Hou  2 , Yunhong Liang  3 , Zhihui Zhang  4 , Luquan Ren  5
Affiliations

Design and Fabrication of Bilayer Hydrogel System with Self-Healing and Detachment Properties Achieved by Near-Infrared Irradiation

Qian Zhao et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

A novel kind of graphene oxide (GO)-containing bilayer hydrogel system with excellent self-healing and detachment properties stimulated by near-infrared irradiation is successively fabricated via a two-step in situ free radical polymerization. In addition to high mechanical strength, as components of a bilayer hydrogel system, a poly N,N-dimethylacrylamide (PDMAA) layer with 3 mg/mL GO and a poly N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAm) layer with 3 mg/mL GO exhibits firm interface bonding. GO in a PDMAA layer transforms under a near-infrared laser into heat, which promotes mutual diffusion of hydrogen bonds and realizes a self-healing property. The irradiation of near infrared laser results in the temperature of PNIPAm layer being higher than the volume phase transition temperature, reducing the corresponding biological viscidity and achieving detachment property. The increase of GO content enhances the self-healing degree and detachment rate. The bilayer hydrogel system fabricated via mold design combines characteristics of PDMAA layer and PNIPAm layer, which can be treated as materials for medical dressings, soft actuators, and robots.

Keywords: bilayer hydrogel system; detachment rate; photothermal energy transformation efficiency; self-healing degree.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic of the mold and fabrication process of bilayer hydrogel systems.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Microstructure of PDMAA hydrogels with various GO contents (a) 0 mg/mL; (b) 1 mg/mL; (c) 2 mg/mL; and (d) 3 mg/mL and PNIPAm hydrogels with various GO contents; (e) 0 mg/mL; (f) 1 mg/mL; (g) 2 mg/mL; and (h) 3 mg/mL.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Typical FT-IR spectra characteristics of (a) PDMAA hydrogels and (b) PNIPAm hydrogels with various GO contents.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) profiles of PDMAA and PNIPAm hydrogels with various GO contents.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Photothermal energy transformation efficiency of PDMAA hydrogels with various GO contents.
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a) Stress values, (b) strain values, and the corresponding self-healing degree of PDMAA hydrogels with different GO contents and self-healing time, morphology, and microstructure of PDMAA-GO3 hydrogel (c) before and (d) after 5 min of self-healing.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Stress, strain, and modulus values of PNIPAm hydrogels with various GO contents.
Figure 8
Figure 8
(a–d) detachment process of PNIPAm-GO3 hydrogel and (e) the detachment rate of PNIPAm hydrogels with 1, 2, and 3 mg/mL GO.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Morphology of (a) PDMAA layer; (b) PNIPAm layer; and (c) the interface bonding characteristics of bilayer hydrogel.
Figure 10
Figure 10
The adherency and self-healing process of bilayer hydrogel (a) covered on the pigskin; (b) and (c) injection of methyl blue solution; (d,e) self-healing process of pinhole irradiated by near-infrared irradiation for 115 s; and (f) morphology of bilayer hydrogel after self-healing.
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