High　tough　poly(vinyl　alcohol)　(PVA)　hydrogels　were　prepared　by　repeated　freezing/thawing　processes　and　subsequently　soaking　in　saturated　NaCl　aqueous　solution.　The　PVA　hydrogels　were　characterized　via　tensile　testing,　differential　scanning　calorimetry　and　scanning　electron　microscopy　respectively.　The　results　showed　that　during　soaking　in　NaCl　aqueous　solution　the　PVA　chain-entanglement　network　was　formed　and　the　water　was　included　into　the　PVA　chain-entanglement　network.　The　tensile　strength　and　elongation　at　break　of　PVA　hydrogel　firstly　increased　with　the　prolongation　of　immersing　time　and　then　decreased　with　the　immersing　time　beyond　30 min.　By　this　way　the　tensile　strength　and　elongation　at　break　of　PVA　hydrogel　could　reach　up　to　1.61 (±0.24) MPa　and　631 (±80)%,　respectively.　This　tough　PVA　hydrogel　was　prepared　at　the　absence　of　chemical　crosslinker　and　thus　might　be　considered　as　a　favourable　candidate　for　tissue　engineering　applications.　©　2017　Elsevier　B.V.