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Gels
Special Issues
Current Research on Eutectogels
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Current Research on Eutectogels

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 1847

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Liane Meneses

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
LAQV, Requimte, Departamento de Química, Nova School of Science and Technology, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
Interests: medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates; supercritical carbon dioxide; ibuprofen; impregnation; green solvents; alternative technologies; controlled drug release
Dr. Ana Rita Xavier De Jesus Gameiro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
LAQV, Requimte, Departamento de Química, Nova School of Science and Technology, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
Interests: green chemistry; deep eutectic systems; drug discovery; pharmaceuticals; extraction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recently, among various applications, deep eutectic systems (DESs) and natural deep eutectic systems (NADESs) have also been used in the production of gels, the so-called eutectogels, used for multiple ends, namely in drug delivery, batteries, and biocatalysis or food packaging. The research on eutectogels is still recent; however, these materials are cost-effective and highly biocompatible and present improved thermal stability and mechanical properties when compared to traditional hydrogels. Eutectogels are widely versatile and can be obtained by the utilization of several eutectic systems, polymers, and even crosslinking methods. This versatility makes eutectogels highly tunable and gives the possibility of designing specific materials to fit the desired application.

This Special Issue aims to bring together the latest research and advances on eutectogels concerning their preparation, characterization, and application. We hope to gather manuscripts on different research topics to showcase the versatility of eutectogels.

We are open to receiving submissions of both research and review papers. We look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Liane Meneses
Dr. Ana Rita Xavier De Jesus Gameiro
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • eutectogel
  • gel
  • deep eutectic solvents
  • polymer
  • biomaterials
  • applications

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 5870 KB  
Article
Recyclable and Degradable Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Betaine-Based Deep Eutectic Polymer Dry Gel Plastics with a High Mechanical Strength
by Hanyu Zhao, Ying Jia, Ling Cai, Xiaochun Wang, Minghui He and Guangxue Chen
Gels 2025, 11(6), 421; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11060421 - 31 May 2025
Viewed by 1084
Abstract
Most existing polymer plastics are nonreusable and also exhibit poor biocompatibility and a poor mechanical strength–tensile strain balance. Herein, using deep eutectic polymers, we prepare reusable hydrophilic supramolecular dry gel plastics with balanced stress–strain characteristics through the hydrogen bonding of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) [...] Read more.
Most existing polymer plastics are nonreusable and also exhibit poor biocompatibility and a poor mechanical strength–tensile strain balance. Herein, using deep eutectic polymers, we prepare reusable hydrophilic supramolecular dry gel plastics with balanced stress–strain characteristics through the hydrogen bonding of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with betaine (Bta). As PVA exhibits crystalline stiffness and abundant hydrogen-bonding sites, it is employed as a network backbone in the proposed deep eutectic supramolecular polymers. In the prepared PVA/Bta dry gel plastics, PVA and Bta are dynamically and physically crosslinked through high-density hydrogen bonding, resulting in a yield strength of ~109 MPa and toughness of up to ~210.92 MJ m−3. In addition, these plastics can be recycled at least five times in an aqueous environment while maintaining a mechanical strength of 100 MPa. Furthermore, the proposed polymers exhibit high transparency (92%) in the visible spectrum. We expect these polymers to be used in synthesizing biodegradable dry gel plastics, as well as to lead to the development of recyclable deep eutectic PVA/Bta polymers with remarkable strength. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research on Eutectogels)
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Review

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25 pages, 1029 KB  
Review
Eutectogels: Recent Advances, Design Strategies, and Emerging Applications in Biotechnology
by Liane Meneses and Ana Rita Jesus
Gels 2025, 11(12), 1013; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11121013 - 17 Dec 2025
Abstract
Eutectogels, obtained from the combination of deep eutectic systems (DESs) or natural deep eutectic systems (NADESs) with polymers, represent a new class of sustainable soft materials. Combining the tunable properties of DESs, such as low volatility, ionic conductivity, and biocompatibility, with the structural [...] Read more.
Eutectogels, obtained from the combination of deep eutectic systems (DESs) or natural deep eutectic systems (NADESs) with polymers, represent a new class of sustainable soft materials. Combining the tunable properties of DESs, such as low volatility, ionic conductivity, and biocompatibility, with the structural integrity of gels, these materials can be designed to have improved mechanical flexibility, self-healing ability, and environmental stability. Recent research focused on understanding how the composition of DESs, polymer type, or crosslinking mechanisms influence the physicochemical behavior and performance of eutectogels. Advances in this field enabled their use in diverse biotechnological applications, particularly in drug delivery, transdermal systems, wound healing, and tissue engineering, where they demonstrate improved biofunctionality and adaptability compared to traditional hydrogels. Nevertheless, challenges related to scalability, reproducibility, long-term stability, and toxicity must be addressed to reach their full potential. Progress in this area relies on multidisciplinary efforts between green chemistry, materials science, and bioengineering. Overcoming these hurdles could allow eutectogels to evolve from academic concepts into a new generation of sustainable, high-performance soft materials with broad applicability in the biotechnology field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research on Eutectogels)
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