Reinforcement of polyacrylamide hydrogel with patched laponite-polymer composite particles

The application of patched laponite-polymer composite particles (LCPs) in hydrogel reinforcement has been proposed and such hydrogels (LC hydrogels) were successfully prepared. LCPs can be well dispersed in hydrogel matrix to rather high particle concentration and at the same time, form chemical bonding with polymer matrix through copolymerization of surface C C groups. The obtained LC hydrogels showed more homogeneous microstructure and significantly higher mechanical strength comparing with the hydrogel containing bare laponite or laponite surface modified with C C groups at same particle content. A series of control experiments reveals that both the surface chemistry and patched morphology were essential to produce such good reinforcement performance.