Issue 15, 2019

A pH-induced self-healable shape memory hydrogel with metal-coordination cross-links

Abstract

A simple strategy is provided to construct self-healable shape memory hydrogels, which were cross-linked by both dynamic reversible metal–ligand coordination bonds and irreversible covalent bonds. Inspired by the cuticles of marine mussel byssi, hydrogels were fabricated from four-armed poly(ethylene glycol) modified with dopamine end groups with Fe3+ ions. Mono-, bis- and tris-catechol–Fe3+ coordination can be reversibly adjusted by changing the pH value, which could act as a switch for fixing the temporary shape and recovering the original shape. The hydrogels also show the self-healing ability, contributing to the dynamic metal–ligand coordination bonds. At different pH values, the hydrogels showed a regulated shape memory property and self-healing property. When the pH value was 9, bis- and tris-catechol–Fe3+ coordination (no mono-coordination) existed and hydrogels exhibited excellent self-healing, shape memory and high mechanical properties. The hydrogels also showed good cytocompatibility with more than 85% of cell viability after co-culturing with endothelial cells for 7 days. Therefore, by integration of catechol–Fe3+ coordination and covalent bonds, we can achieve hydrogels with good mechanical performance and with both self-healing and shape memory properties, which have great potential applications in the biomedical field.

Graphical abstract: A pH-induced self-healable shape memory hydrogel with metal-coordination cross-links

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 Jan 2019
Accepted
07 Mar 2019
First published
08 Mar 2019

Polym. Chem., 2019,10, 1920-1929

A pH-induced self-healable shape memory hydrogel with metal-coordination cross-links

L. Lu, T. Tian, S. Wu, T. Xiang and S. Zhou, Polym. Chem., 2019, 10, 1920 DOI: 10.1039/C9PY00015A

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