Bamboo-inspired ultra-strong nanofiber reinforced composite hydrogels

The document describes the development of a bamboo-inspired ultra-strong nanofiber-reinforced composite hydrogel. The key points are:- The hydrogel is designed based on the hierarchical structure and molecular interactions found in bamboo. It uses self-assembled chitosan-sodium alginate nanofibers (CSNFs) as the reinforcing component, tannic acid (TA) as the interfacial crosslinker, and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as the hydrogel matrix.- The strong interfacial electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding between the CSNF, TA, and PVA components lead to simultaneous improvements in strength (up to 13.8 MPa) and stretchability (up to 500%) compared to pure PVA hydrogel.- Further alignment of the composite through stretch-induced orientation increases the strength to 48 MPa with 470% strain, and up to 60.2 MPa with 250% strain when fixed in a salt solution. The bamboo-inspired hierarchical design and synergistic molecular interactions enable the hydrogel to exhibit excellent mechanical properties, including high strength, toughness, and impact resistance, making it suitable for applications in demanding mechanical environments.