Abstract: A process for making a hydrogel from a sacrificial ionic scaffold includes providing a sacrificial ionic scaffold including a cationic poly-ammonium electrolyte and an anionic poly-acrylate electrolyte complexed together. The process further includes treating the sacrificial ionic scaffold with a basic solution to form the hydrogel. The sacrificial ionic scaffold provides a rigid template for the hydrogel, enabling the creation of complex shapes. The basic solution degrades the scaffold, converting it into a soft, water-swollen hydrogel.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing polyelectrolyte resin for additively manufacturing a additively manufactured article includes: a cationic poly-ammonium electrolyte; an anionic organic acrylate monomer; a chemical modifier selected from the group consisting essentially of a photoabsorber and an ion dispersion solvent comprising an organic reactive diluent; and a photoinitiator.