Abstract:

The preparation of repairable hydrogels is an extensively researched multidisciplinary topic, incorporating organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, material chemistry, and biomimetic materials. Thus, it has tremendous potential for further adaptation in undergraduate teaching experiments. Herein, we propose a novel comprehensive experiment to study the preparation and self-healing performance of self-healing hydrogels based on an agarose/PVA dual network. The experiment is vivid and interesting. Students can shape and design the hydrogels in a variety of ways during the experiment, which can stimulate students' interest and enthusiasm in learning chemistry. As a low-cost and environment-friendly material, hydrogels are also suitable for teaching the concepts of green chemistry, sustainable development, and environmental protection.

Key words: Hydrogel, Self-healing, Agarose, Polyvinyl alcohol, Teaching experiment