Tough Triblock Copolymer Hydrogels with Different Micromorphologies for Medical and Sensory Materials

Tough triblock copolymer hydrogels with microstructures of sphere, cylinder, and laminae were constructed using a newly developed drying and swelling method without changing the chemical structures of their monomeric units. These tough triblock copolymer hydrogels commonly showed high fracture stress of similar to 10 MPa but exhibited varied elastic moduli depending on their microstructures. Furthermore, the constructed laminar gel formed pH-sensitive photonic gel at the base conditions, providing the gel application with potential as a sensor. Given their high toughness, biocompatibility, and tunable modulus, this study helps expand the potential application of amphiphilic block copolymer hydrogels for medical and industrial use.