Rational Design and Characterization of Hydrogels
A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Analysis and Characterization".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 25
Special Issue Editors
Interests: polymers; fibers and textiles; hydrogels; smart materials; bio-inspired design; personal thermal and moisture management; advanced materials for the built environment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: microfluidics; soft materials; flexible electronics; sensors and probes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Recent progress in hydrogel research has moved beyond empirical formulation toward rational design strategies, where molecular architecture, crosslinking mechanisms, and hierarchical structures are deliberately engineered to achieve targeted performance. The rational design of hydrogels increasingly relies on a fundamental understanding of structure–property relationships. Advances in polymer chemistry, supramolecular interactions, dynamic reversible bonding, multi-network architectures, and advanced manufacturing have enabled precise control over mechanical strength, toughness, self-healing capability, responsiveness, and transport behavior.
Comprehensive characterization techniques play a central role in guiding rational hydrogel design. Modern techniques, including rheology, spectroscopy, scattering, microscopy, and mechanical testing, provide insights into network dynamics, crosslink evolution, and deformation mechanisms. Coupled with modeling and simulation, these tools enable quantitative evaluation of hydrogel behaviors, thereby guiding iterative design and optimization.
This Special Issue, “Rational Design and Characterization of Hydrogels”, aims to bring together cutting-edge research that bridges molecular design principles with advanced characterization methods. Contributions addressing novel hydrogel chemistries, multiscale characterization, structure–property correlations, and application-driven design are particularly welcome. By highlighting both fundamental advances and practical considerations, this collection seeks to provide a comprehensive perspective on how rational design and characterization can accelerate the development of next-generation hydrogels with enhanced functionality and reliability.
Dr. Lihong Lao
Dr. Ye Tian
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- hydrogels
- rational material design
- structure–property relationships
- multiscale characterization
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