Polydopamine Particles Reinforced Poly(vinyl alcohol) Hydrogel with NIR Light Triggered Shape Memory and Self‐Healing Capability

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. Vol. 38; no. 23
• Main Authors: Yang, Li, Wang, Zhanhua, Fei, Guoxia, Xia, Hesheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.12.2017
• Subjects: Alcohol; Alcohols; Biocompatibility; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biomedical engineering; Cartilage; Cognitive ability; Crosslinking; Freezing; Hydrogels; Hydrogels - chemistry; Hydrogen bonding; I.R. radiation; Indoles - chemistry; Infrared radiation; Mechanical properties; near‐infrared light; Particulate composites; polydopamine; Polymers - chemistry; Polyvinyl Alcohol - chemistry; PVA; self‐healing; Shape memory; Skin; Thawing; Tissue engineering; near-infrared light; PVA; polydopamine; shape memory; self-healing
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927; 1521-3927
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.201700421

This study focuses on developing a facile approach to prepare biocompatible poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite hydrogels containing polydopamine particles (PDAPs) with ultrafast near‐infrared (NIR) light‐triggered shape memory and self‐healing capability. The PVA‐PDAPs composite hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties can be achieved after freezing/thawing treatment, and the formation of physically cross‐linked networks from the hydrogen bonding (H‐bonding) between PVA and PDAPs. Due to the excellent photothermal effect of polydopamine, the composited hydrogel can achieve rapid shape recovery and efficient self‐healing properties under NIR light exposure in a short time. With the excellent shape memory performance, good biocompatibility, and self‐healing property, this hydrogel should have great potential in biomedical fields such as tissue engineering, arthrodial cartilage, and artificial skin. The polydopamine particles (PDAPs) composite hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties can be achieved by freezing/thawing treatment, and the formation of physically cross‐linked networks from the hydrogen bonding between poly(vinyl alcohol) and PDAPs. Due to the excellent photothermal effect of PDAPs, the composited hydrogels possess rapid shape recovery and efficient self‐healing properties under near‐infrared light exposure in a short time.