Double network hydrogel embedded with quantum dots: Enhanced visual performance for holographic 3D display

•Hybrid hydrogels incorporated with quantum dots are promising display medium for 3D display.•The double network hydrogels provide enhanced mechanical and optical properties.•The hydrogel could repeat swelling and shrinking without break its structure, benefiting for the reuse.•High quality image can be successfully reconstructed by applying hybrid hydrogels as display medium.

Transparent double network hydrogels incorporated with quantum dots are promising display medium for holographic 3D display. In this work, we found that the combination of aqueous quantum dots and double network hydrogel is an advantageous strategy to fabricate free-standing bulk nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties. The double network hydrogel with colloidal quantum dots can construct high quality images with peak signal-to-noise ratio value up to 28.48, enabling them to be potential display mediums for holographic 3D display.

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