Figure 3: Hydrogel–elastomer hybrids under uniaxial stretches.
From: Skin-inspired hydrogel–elastomer hybrids with robust interfaces and functional microstructures
(a) PAAm-alginate hydrogel bonded on Ecoflex elastomer using the proposed method can withstand large deformation (stretch ∼7) without debonding. The robust hydrogel–elastomer bonding is intact even after fracture of the hybrid. (b) PAAm-alginate hydrogel bonded on Ecoflex elastomer untreated by benzophenone detaches from the elastomer under small deformation (that is, stretch ∼1.1) due to weak adhesion. (c) PAAm hydrogel bonded on Ecoflex elastomer using the proposed method fails under large deformation (stretch ∼4) due to crack propagation in the brittle bulk PAAm hydrogel. Note that red food dyes are added into the hydrogels to enhance the contrast between hydrogels and elastomers.
