Cartilage-bioinspired tenacious concrete-like hydrogel verified via in-situ testing

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels, being low-cost and abundant materials, can demonstrate tremendous potential in applications requiring mechanical robustness by harnessing the enhancements afforded by a structure inspired by articular cartilage (AC). This study presents the fabrication of bioinspired PVA/PEG (BPP) hydrogel, characterized by their high mechanical strength and low friction coefficient. By utilizing a concrete-like structure composed of PVA particles and PVA/PEG fibers, the BPP hydrogel demonstrates notable properties such as high compressive strength (86%, 29.5 MPa), high tensile strength (265%, 10.5 MPa), fatigue resistance, impact resistance, and cut resistance. Moreover, under submerged conditions, it exhibits low coefficient of friction (COF) and minimal wear. The packaged hydrogel sensor demonstrates high sensitivity, high linearity, and fast response time. Ultimately, we endeavor to apply the straightforward yet competent bioinspired strategy to intelligent protective sensing equipment, showcasing extensive prospects for practical applications.