Accelerated Hydrogel Strengthening: Synergy between Mechanical Training and Lignin Intake

The construction of high-strength hydrogels is essential for engineering applications but is often limited by poor durability under stress. Current post-treatment methods are inefficient and time consuming. Inspired by muscle building, we propose a green, efficient, and synergistic enhancement method. The dynamic stretching of the PVA hydrogel in LS solution promotes the formation of an ordered polymer network, while LS can fix the ordered structure. After 500 stretching cycles (approximately 16.7 min), the tensile strength, toughness, and Young’s modulus increase by 76-fold, 117-fold, and 304-fold, respectively, outperforming single treatments such as soaking or training. Multitechnique analyses reveal that nanoscale crystalline domains and microscale-ordered polymers drive these macroscopic improvements. Notably, the LS solution can be substituted with other solvents to achieve similar effects, demonstrating excellent adaptability, scalability, and efficiency. This rapid and straightforward synergistic enhancement technology holds great promise for overcoming the challenges of constructing and applying high-strength hydrogels.