Schematic representation of DN hydrogels subjected to compression and subsequently re-equilibrated in a water bath. Compression of D0L0/DN resulted in damage to its first network and an increase in its volume after it was allowed to swell. For D10L2/DN, breaking of DMA-Laponite bonds dissipated fracture energy and the network exhibited minimal volume and structural change after the reformation of the reversible bonds. Black line: first network backbone, red line: second network backbone, red circle: catechol chemically bound to first network, blue ellipse: Laponite, yellow star mark: breaking of covalent bonds.