A novel electroresponse intelligent hydrogel of crosslinked polyvinyl sulfate potassium (PVSK)was prepared by the sulfating reaction of crosslinked polyvinyalcohol

and the effect of the ionic strength and pH on the swelling ratio at equilibrium

mechanical properties and electromechanochemical behavior of the PVSK hydrogel were studied.The experimental results indicated that the swelling ratios at equilibrium of PVSK hydrogels decreased with increasing the ionic strength of NaCl solutions and were almost invariable in the pH range of 2.39～10.83.The PVSK hydrogels swollen in NaCl solutions of different pH and ionic strength presented excellent mechanical properties.The PVSK hydrogel bended toward the cathode under non-contact D.C.electric field in NaCl aqueous solutions

the bending speed and bending strain of the PVSK hydrogel increased with increasing the applied voltage and were almost invariable in the pH range of 2.08～10.53.The electroresponsive behavior of the PVSK hydrogel was also affected by the electrolyte concentration of the external NaCl solution

and there was a critical ionic strength of 0.1 at which its bending speed and equilibrium strain reached their maximum values.Under a cyclically varying electric field the hydrogel exhibited a good reversible electromechanochemical behavior.