Fiber-reinforced polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel via in situ fiber formation

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels have been extensively investigated for drug release, artificial cartilage, biosensing, and other applications owing to their good chemical stability, biocompatibility, high water absorption, and ease of processing. However, the conventional hydrogel preparation method is complex and energy-intensive, and the mechanical performance of the pure PVA hydrogel is poor, which severely limits its application in related fields. In this study, a PVA hydrogel was functionally modified using polybutylene succinate (PBS) nanofibers prepared using in situ fiber-forming technology to fabricate a PBS-enhanced PVA composite hydrogel. The strength of the PBS/PVA hydrogel fabricated in this study is 3.88 MPa, which is 4.94 times that of the pure PVA hydrogel; thus, the strength of the hydrogel was effectively improved. The hydrogel preparation method used in this study is novel and straightforward. Moreover, the resulting materials are biodegradable and non-toxic. Compared to conventional methods, this method has the advantages of conserving resources and being environmentally friendly.