Biopolymer Hydrogels: Synthesis, Properties and Applications
A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Processing and Engineering".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: hydrogels, in vitro characterizations, rheological characterization, in vitro biocompatibility
Interests: biodegradable polymers; chitosan; hydrogels; scaffolds; biomaterials; bone tissue engineering; materials characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent years, hydrogels have emerged as versatile biomaterials with applications in areas such as the biomedical, food, and agricultural sectors. Hydrogels have exhibited remarkable properties, including high water absorption and retention, controllable biodegradability, suitable mechanical characteristics, and excellent biocompatibility. These properties can be tailored through the polymer and crosslinking method used or by combining different polymers, ultimately resulting in hydrogels with suitable properties for specific functions.
This Special Issue is dedicated to exploring the synthesis, structural design, and engineering of hydrogels, with particular emphasis on synthesis methods, including physical and chemical crosslinking, as well as the incorporation of bioactive compounds and nanomaterials to improve their properties. Contributions may also focus on the evaluation of critical properties of hydrogels, such as internal and external microstructure, rheological and mechanical properties, water uptake, and chemical characterization by FTIR, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy, among others.
Submissions that address the relationship between synthesis and processing conditions and the resulting functional properties are especially encouraged. In addition, studies on “smart” hydrogels—materials capable of responding to external stimuli such as pH, temperature, and biological signals—are particularly welcome.
The scope of this Special issue also includes advances in areas such as biomedical (tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, wound dressings), agricultural (soil conditioning, water retention, agrochemical delivery), and environmental (adsorption of pollutants, wastewater treatment) applications.
We invite original research articles, reviews, and short communications that contribute to advancing the understanding of biopolymer hydrogel processing and design. The focus of this Special Issue includes the above aspects but is not limited to them.
Dr. Rogelio Rodriguez Rodriguez
Dr. Anamarija Rogina
Guest Editor
Dr. Rogelio Rodríguez-Rodríguez
Dr. Anamarija Rogina
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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
- biopolymer hydrogels
- gel processing and engineering
- smart hydrogels
- crosslinking process, biomedical and environmental applications
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