Highly stretchable curdlan hydrogels and mechanically strong stretched-dried-gel-films obtained by strain-induced crystallization

Highly-stretchable self-standing curdlan (1,3-?-d-glucan) hydrogels were prepared via chemical cross-linking using various cross-linkers, including ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether, 1,4-butandiol and 1,6-hexanediol ether. Tensile testing of the revealed that had good elongation properties with 600%–900% strain from their original length regardless cross-linker length. Stretched-dried-gel films by stretching subsequent drying. The tensile strength Young's modulus stretched-dried-gel-films 117–148 MPa 1.6 GPa, respectively, these values markedly improved compared non-stretched films. X-ray measurements stretched dried-gel oriented crystalline domains an 80% degree orientation. These results indicate molecular chains crystallized during process drying hydrogels. As a result, stretched-dried-films showed high owing to strain-induced crystallization.