The current study is conducted to prepare electro conductive hydrogels (ECHs) with optimized component ratios to explore the effect of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as an emerging nanomaterial on strengthening capabilities of the prepared hydrogel. Acrylamide (AM) copolymerized with acrylic acid (AA) and grafted to carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is fabricated through free radical polymerization. The results indicate that adding rGO yields 98.27% decrease in equilibrium swelling ratio (ESR) to 1.77 gg(-1). Consistently, SEM images reveal the hydrogel change from multi-layer to compact interlocking structure. The best obtained elastic modulus of the rGO hydrogel is 5100.00 Pa while its thermal analysis exposes a correlation between elasticity and glassy temperature. The electro conductivities of prepared ECHs are in range of 180.01-1464 mu S cm(-1) increasing by heating the sample. Owing to controlled ESR value, heat resistance, structural strength, and electro conductive properties, the prepared ECHs propose great potentials in medical care and storage devices. (C) 2020 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.