Super-Structured Wet-Adhesive Hydrogel with Ultralow Swelling, Ultrahigh Burst Pressure Tolerance, and Anti-Postoperative Adhesion Properties for Tissue Adhesion

Abstract

Wet-adhesive hydrogels have been developed as an attractive strategy for tissue repair. However, achieving simultaneously low swelling and high burst pressure tolerance of wet-adhesive hydrogels is crucial for in vivo application which remains challenges. Herein, a novel super-structured porous hydrogel (denoted as PVA/PAAc-N+) is designed via facile moisture-induced phase separation-solvent exchange process for obtaining porous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel as dissipative layer and in situ photocuring technology for entangling quaternary ammonium-functionalized poly(acrylic acid)-based wet-adhesive layer (PAAc-N+) with the porous surface of PVA layer. Benefitting from the ionic crosslinking between quaternary ammonium ions and carboxylate ions in PAAc-N+ wet-adhesive layer as well as the high crystallinity induced by abundant hydrogen bonds of PVA layer, the hydrogel has unique ultralow swelling property (0.29) without sacrificing adhesion strength (63.1 kPa). The porous structure of PVA facilitates the mechanical interlock at the interface between PAAc-N+ wet-adhesive layer and tough PVA dissipative layer, leading to the ultrahigh burst pressure tolerance up to 493 mm Hg and effective repair for porcine heart rupture; the PVA layer surface of PVA/PAAc-N+ hydrogel can prevent postoperative adhesion. By integrating ultralow swelling, ultrahigh burst pressure tolerance, and anti-postoperative adhesion properties, PVA/PAAc-N+ hydrogel shows an appealing application prospect for tissue repair.