Abstract: A new kind of elastic hydroxyethyl cellulose/poly(acrylic acid) (HEC/PAA) composite hydrogels was synthesized via free radical polymerization of acrylic acid(AA) with hydroxyethyl cellulose that played the role as a cross-linkers via hydrogen bonding interaction. The prepared composite hydrogels were labeled as HEC/PAA-1-HEC/PAA-5, according to the HEC mass fractions (hydrogel solid content) were 20.0%, 33.3%, 42.9%, 50.0%, 55.5%. The properties and structure of these hydrogels were then investigated by the mechanical testing and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR). The mechanical testing showed that the compressive stress of HEC/PAA-2 composite hydrogels could reach 9.52 MPa with the strain of about 91% without a break and the compression fracture energy reached 513.6 kJ/m3. Meanwhile, HEC/PAA hybrid hydrogels exhibited excellent tensile properties and excellent recoverable performance. The tensile fracture strength of HEC/PAA-4 was 224.3 kPa, which was associated with 198% elongation at break and the tensile fracture energy of 219.5 kJ/m3. When HEC/PAA-2 swelled for 150 h, the swelling rate of water was 2.23 g/g. The mechanical test, FT-IR analysis and swelling properties tests results showed that the hydrogen bonds between the PAA chains and HEC chains formed a special network structure and thus resulted in the good mechanical properties of composite hydrogels.