Conventionally, when it comes to soft materials, elastomers have been widely used, but water absorption is a decisively important factor when used in contact with the living body or as a substitute. Since hydrous materials strongly reflect the physical properties of water, they exhibit physical properties that are very similar to those of living tissue, such as the way heat is transmitted like that of a living organism, the absorption characteristics of electromagnetic waves are close to those of living organisms, and the surface friction is extremely low. Hydrogels are known as water-containing soft materials, but the applications of conventional hydrogels are limited due to their low mechanical strength.
The Graduate School Faculty of Advanced Life Science Soft & Wet Matter Laboratory has succeeded in developing a highly tough double network (DN) gel that has a water content of 90% and does not break even when a truck rides on it, making it possible to apply hydrogel. broadened his sexuality. In addition, while clarifying the toughness of DN gel, we discovered the "sacrificial bond principle" and arrived at the concept of toughening various materials. In recent years, we have developed various types of tough gels other than DN gels.

Laboratory Representative Prof. GONG Jian Ping
Construction of dynamic memory element with forgetting ability