Strong and tough PVA/PAA hydrogel fiber with highly strain sensitivity enabled by coating MWCNTs

A super strong poly (vinyl alcohol)/poly (acrylic acid) (PVA/PAA) anti-freezing hydrogel fiber has been successfully constructed and studied. The introduction of PVA chains significantly improves tensile strength and toughness to 3.8 MPa and 13.7 MJ/m3, respectively. In addition, glycerol in the hydrogel fiber ensures its good flexibility even in −15 °C. We coat hydrogel fiber with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and study their strain...