A highly tough and stiff supramolecular polymer double network hydrogel

A supramolecular polymer double network hydrogel is fabricated based on hydrogen bonding crosslinked poly(N-acryloyl glycinamide) (PNAGA) and Fe3+ crosslinked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). The PNAGA/CMC-Fe hydrogel demonstrates megapascal order of tensile and compressive strengths, and high toughness (12.3 MJ m−3) and tear energy (3700 J m−2). This cytocompatible supramolecular DN hydrogel may be exploited to substitute load-bearing degenerated soft tissue.249