Thermoresponsive hydrogels with high elasticity and rapid response synthesized by RAFT polymerization via special crosslinking

Abstract Thermoresponsive hydrogels having both high elasticity and rapid response are urgently needed. Herein, this kind of nanocomposite hydrogels with enhanced mechanical property, high elasticity and rapid response are synthesized by employing ABA triblock copolymer flowerlike nanogels with hydrophilic polymeric loops and a bifunctional macro-RAFT agent. It is thought that the enhanced properties of the nanocomposite hydrogels are ascribed to the crosslinking and/or entanglement invlolved in the flowerlike nanogels. We believe that our strategy by employing ABA triblock copolymer flowerlike nanogels is a new and valid method for constructing tough and elastic hydrogel networks.