Abstract: In this paper,a cryo-hydrogel elastomer, containing, more than 85% water, was prepared by freezing aqueous solution of poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA). The mechanical properties of cryo-PVA-hydrogel were studied by one way extension and compression. The experimental results show that the mechanical strength is increased with increasing the polymer concentration and the freezing time. The relationship between the elastic modulus and the gel concentration is in accordance with the scaling law It is suggested that the mechanical strength of the cryo-hydrogel is based on the contribution of physical crosslinking networks.

Key words: Cryo-hydrogel, Mechanical properties, Scaling law, PVA