Abstract: A series of PAAS/PVA composite hydrogels with an interpenetrating network structure were prepared by using potassium persulfate as an initiator and N,N′-dimethylbisacrylamide as a crosslinking agent through a freeze-thaw cross-linking pathway, and their chemical structure and performance were characterized by means of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and universal mechanical testing machine. FTIR characterization identified that the PVA was uniformly dispersed in the interpenetrating network-structured hydrogels. TG results indicated that the addition of PVA improved the thermal properties of the composite hydrogels. Moreover, the addition of PVA reduced the swelling rate and maximum swelling of the composite hydrogels, and incorporation of 14 wt.% PVA into PAAS led to a minimum swelling rate for the composite hydrogels. The introduction of PVA could significantly improve the mechanical properties of the composite hydrogels, and their elongation at break and tensile strength increased with an increase of PVA content. The electrical response experimental results indicated that the electrical response sensitivity of the composite hydrogels was improved due to the addition of PVA with an optimum content of 21 wt.% PVA.