Self‐Healing, Adhesive and Conductive Supramolecular Hydrogel Scaffold Based on PVA Grafted With Poly(acrylamide‐1‐benzyl‐3‐vinylimidazolium Bromide)

ABSTRACT The development of multifunctional hydrogel is crucial for next‐generation scaffold materials. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) grafted with poly(acrylamide‐1‐benzyl‐3‐vinylimidazolium bromide) (P(AM‐G)) through in situ reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The supramolecular hydrogel was dynamically cross‐linked via host–guest interactions between cucurbit[8]uril (CB [8]) and 1‐vinylimidazolium bromide. The host–guest interactions endowing the hydrogel with self‐healing behavior, the high self‐healing efficiency was 98% after 24 h. Moreover, the freezing–salting‐out process induced the formation of PVA crystalline domains, which served as reinforcing points to improve the mechanical strength. The tensile strength were increased from ~0.1 to 0.56 MPa, while elongation at break rose from 350% to 615%. Furthermore, the hydrogel demonstrated electrical conductivity, enabling real‐time monitoring of human motion (e.g., finger movement). Its strong adhesion to diverse substrates—including glass, aluminum, steel sheets, porcine skin, and polyimide film—facilitates integration with tissues and electronic components. The responsive hydrogel also served as scaffold for 3D cell culture, highlighting its potential for tissue engineering and electronic interfaces.