1. Repeatedly Intrinsic Self-Healing of Millimeter-Scale Wounds in Polymer through Rapid Volume Expansion Aided Host–Guest Interaction
- Author
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Min Zhi Rong, Jianwei Guo, Lei Zhang, Lan Yue Zhang, Xin Jie Chen, Zhan Peng Hong, Dong Yu Zhu, and Ming Qiu Zhang
- Subjects
010407 polymers ,Materials science ,Biocompatibility ,Acrylic Resins ,Adamantane ,Biocompatible Materials ,02 engineering and technology ,Proof of Concept Study ,01 natural sciences ,Volume expansion ,medicine ,Transition Temperature ,General Materials Science ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,beta-Cyclodextrins ,Hydrogels ,Polymer ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,0104 chemical sciences ,chemistry ,Self-healing ,Biological body ,Swelling ,medicine.symptom ,0210 nano-technology ,Biosensor ,Humanoid robot ,Biomedical engineering - Abstract
Implantable and wearable materials, which are usually used in/on a biological body, are mostly needed with biomimetic self-healing function. To enable repeatable large-wound self-healing and volume/structure recovery, we verified a proof-of-concept approach in this work. We design a polymer hydrogel that combines temperature responsiveness with an intrinsic self-healing ability through host-guest orthogonal self-assembly between two types of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) oligomers. The result is thermosensitive, capable of fast self-repair of microcracks based on reversible host-guest assembly. More importantly, when a large open wound appears, the hydrogel can first close the wound via volume swelling and then completely self-repair the damage in terms of intrinsic self-healing. Meanwhile, its original volume can be easily recovered by subsequent contraction. As demonstrated by the experimental data, such millimeter-level wound self-healing and volume recovery can be repeatedly carried out in response to the short-term cooling stimulus. With low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility, moreover, this highly intelligent hydrogel is greatly promising for practical large-wound self-healing in wound dressing, electronic skins, wearable biosensors, and humanoid robotics, which can tolerate large-scale human motions.
- Published
- 2020