High-strength and physical cross-linked nanocomposite hydrogel with clay nanotubes for strain sensor and dye adsorption application

A high-strength nanocomposite hydrogel composed with polyacrylamide (PAAm) is fabricated via in-situ free radical polymerization of acrylamide in presence of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) and then by ethanol immersing. HNTs act as physical cross-linkers for PAAm chains via hydrogen bonding interactions, while ethanol makes the crosslinking network denser by release of water. The mechanical properties of hydrogels are significantly increased by...