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Gels
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Advances in Hybrid and Functional Gels: Design, Characterization, and Emerging...
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Advances in Hybrid and Functional Gels: Design, Characterization, and Emerging Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 2066

Editor

Dr. Botchu Vara Siva Jyoti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Space System Engineering Section, Space Engineering, Delft University of Technology, TU Delft, 2629 HS Delft, The Netherlands
Interests: green propellants; hybrids; gels

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gels, with their unique structural versatility and tunable physicochemical properties, have emerged as promising materials across diverse scientific and engineering domains. Recent advances in gel research highlight their potential in areas such as energy storage, catalysis, drug delivery, environmental remediation, and space propulsion applications.

This Special Issue aims to collect recent progress in the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of hybrid and functional gels. Particular attention will be given to gels incorporating novel dopants, hybrid systems that combine organic–inorganic components, and tailored gel structures with enhanced mechanical, thermal, or chemical stability. Contributions that address both fundamental aspects (molecular interactions, gelation mechanisms, rheology) and applied research (green propellants, biomedical engineering, sensors, coatings, and nanocomposites) are especially welcome.

By compiling research from diverse perspectives, this Special Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of how hybrid and functional gels are driving innovation in advanced technologies.

We invite original research articles, reviews, and short communications that cover, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Design and synthesis of hybrid gels
  • Characterization and structure–property relationships
  • Gels for sustainable and green energy applications
  • Stimuli-responsive and self-healing gels
  • Biomedical and pharmaceutical applications
  • Gels in catalysis, sensing, and environmental remediation
  • Application of gels in propulsion and aerospace technologies

Dr. Botchu Vara Siva Jyoti
Guest Editor

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-anonymized 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

  • hybrid gels
  • doped gels
  • functional gels
  • responsive gels
  • nanocomposite gels
  • sustainable applications

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
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  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 14267 KB  
Article
Polydopamine-Modified Boron Nitride Reinforced Silicone Gel Composites with Enhanced Thermal Conductivity and Electrical Insulation Performance
by Mengjia Feng, Chaoyue Zhao, Wenbo Li, Xinfeng Lv, Zichen Cui, Jianzeng Guo and Mai Hao
Gels 2026, 12(7), 644; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12070644 - 19 Jul 2026
Viewed by 176
Abstract
Silicone gel (SG) is widely used as a soft encapsulation material for high-voltage power devices because of its excellent flexibility, thermal stability, and electrical insulation. However, its intrinsically low thermal conductivity and susceptibility to partial discharge (PD) at triple-junction interfaces restrict long-term operational [...] Read more.
Silicone gel (SG) is widely used as a soft encapsulation material for high-voltage power devices because of its excellent flexibility, thermal stability, and electrical insulation. However, its intrinsically low thermal conductivity and susceptibility to partial discharge (PD) at triple-junction interfaces restrict long-term operational reliability. In this study, polydopamine-modified hexagonal boron nitride (P-BN) was introduced into silicone gel to construct thermally conductive and electrically insulating composites. The SG/P-BN composites exhibited reduced filler agglomeration and a more continuous filler–matrix morphology than the corresponding SG/BN composites, while the model-extrapolated trap analysis suggested composition-dependent changes in the higher energy charge trapping states of the P-BN-containing composites. As a result, the SG/P-BN composites exhibited enhanced thermal stability, reduced coefficient of thermal expansion, and improved heat-transfer capability, with thermal conductivity increasing from 0.183 W/m·K for pristine SG to 0.25 W/m·K. The composite containing 2 wt% P-BN showed the best insulation performance, with breakdown strength increasing from 24.05 to 28.45 kV/mm at 25 °C and from 19.59 to 24.71 kV/mm at 150 °C. Under a simplified triple-junction laboratory configuration, the PD inception voltage increased from approximately 3.1 kV for pristine SG to 4.1 kV for SG/P-BN2, accompanied by fewer high-amplitude discharges. This work demonstrates improved material-level thermal conductivity and electrical insulation performance of P-BN-containing silicone gel composites under the investigated laboratory conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hybrid and Functional Gels: Design, Characterization, and Emerging Applications)
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14 pages, 5145 KB  
Article
Luminescent Nanoparticles of Gd2O3:Eu3+ Encapsulated Within SiO2–PMMA Gel–Polymer Hybrid Matrix: Synthesis and Optical Properties
by Martin Rodolfo Palomino Merino, Juan de la Cruz Quiroga, Oliver Isac Ruiz Hernández, Oscar Mario Martínez Bravo, Benito de Celis Alonso, Angélica Gutiérrez Franco, Miller Toledo Solano, Claudia Mendoza Barrera and Humberto Salazar Ibargüen
Gels 2026, 12(6), 546; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12060546 - 18 Jun 2026
Viewed by 294
Abstract
Luminescent gadolinium oxide nanoparticles doped with europium were synthesized through a precipitation reaction using gadolinium and europium nitrates as precursors. The europium-doped gadolinium oxide nanoparticles were incorporated first into a gel matrix of silicon dioxide and second by mixing with polymethyl methacrylate. Both [...] Read more.
Luminescent gadolinium oxide nanoparticles doped with europium were synthesized through a precipitation reaction using gadolinium and europium nitrates as precursors. The europium-doped gadolinium oxide nanoparticles were incorporated first into a gel matrix of silicon dioxide and second by mixing with polymethyl methacrylate. Both processes are synthesized by the simultaneous hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate and polymerization of 3-(Trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate. The solid samples obtained are round in shape with a size of about 2.5 cm, which makes the material easy to handle to test different applications. The inclusion of Gd2O3:Eu3+ nanoparticles increases the level of absorbance in the ultraviolet region, which allows for the improved emission of the material at a wavelength of around 610 nm. Furthermore, it enables easy doping of the material and the fabrication of thin films and monoliths with potential optical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hybrid and Functional Gels: Design, Characterization, and Emerging Applications)
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22 pages, 18166 KB  
Article
Coupled Gel Coprecipitation and Hydrothermal Processing to Synthesise Cubic Structured Compounds in the SrTiO3–SrZrO3 System
by Juan Carlos Rendón-Angeles, Zully Matamoros-Veloza, Diego Emiliano Carrillo-Ramírez, José Remigio Quiñones-Gurrola and Kazumichi Yanagisawa
Gels 2026, 12(6), 505; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12060505 - 6 Jun 2026
Viewed by 392
Abstract
The sol–gel coprecipitation method is highly efficient for synthesising a wide range of binary perovskite solid solutions (SSs), which have been under exhaustive study due to their semiconductor and catalytic properties. Therefore, we conducted a systematic study to extend the chemical stability of [...] Read more.
The sol–gel coprecipitation method is highly efficient for synthesising a wide range of binary perovskite solid solutions (SSs), which have been under exhaustive study due to their semiconductor and catalytic properties. Therefore, we conducted a systematic study to extend the chemical stability of the cubic structure in Zr4+-rich SS in the system SrTiO3–SrZrO3. The proposed new approach involves in situ gel coprecipitation and simultaneous hydrothermal processing, which was conducted at standard conditions (200 °C for 6 h) in a KOH (5 M) solution under stirring at 130 rpm. The formation of the cubic perovskite-structured SS occurred in the compositional range from 10.0 to 100.0 mol% Ti4+. The particle crystallisation was achieved via the dissolution-crystallisation mechanism, which proceeded rapidly, aided by preliminary gel dehydration and vigorous stirring. The prepared particles, either orthorhombic or cubic, have a unique morphology, resembling a pseudocuboidal shape with rounded edges. The particle size decreases as the Ti4+ content in the SSs increases, due to improved gel solubility. The band gap of the cubic intermediate SSs is sharp, ranging from 3.12 to 3.57 eV; thus, these perovskites can be applied in the development of semiconductor devices and in catalysis. These powders can also be employed as cool pigments due to their high NIR solar irradiance of 80.22%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hybrid and Functional Gels: Design, Characterization, and Emerging Applications)
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23 pages, 12742 KB  
Article
Freeze–Thaw-Induced Hybrid Porous PVA/PEG Hydrogels with Dynamic Load-Dissipation Capability for Cartilage Substitutes
by Luon Tan Nguyen, Patrick Kai Xuan Lim, Wenjuan Jin, Yanli Zheng, Quang M. N. Phan, Meng Wang, Duc Anh Tran, Y. B. Guo, V. P. W. Shim, Huy-Du Do, Thanh-Tan Nguyen, Hieu Tran-Van, Nga H. N. Do and Hai M. Duong
Gels 2026, 12(6), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12060494 - 2 Jun 2026
Viewed by 782
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent age-related joint disease, yet the limited regenerative capacity of articular cartilage severely constrains spontaneous repair. Here, we present a freeze–thaw polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel platform featuring a hybrid open–closed macroporous architecture that enables cartilage-mimetic load dissipation [...] Read more.
Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent age-related joint disease, yet the limited regenerative capacity of articular cartilage severely constrains spontaneous repair. Here, we present a freeze–thaw polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel platform featuring a hybrid open–closed macroporous architecture that enables cartilage-mimetic load dissipation for artificial cartilage applications. The hybrid porous structure provides synergistic advantages, where closed pores enhance load-bearing stiffness while open pores facilitate energy dissipation. By systematically tuning polymer composition and processing conditions, clear structure–property relationships among porosity, water content, and mechanical performance are established. An optimized formulation (18 wt.% PVA, 85–124 kDa; 18 wt.% PEG; three freeze–thaw cycles) yields hydrogels with high water content (39.1 ± 7.8 wt.%), high compressive Young’s modulus (3.60 ± 0.67 MPa), and excellent resilience under cyclic loading. Notably, under dynamic compression (2 m/s), a frequently overlooked yet physiologically relevant mechanical property of hydrogels, the materials exhibit nearly twofold enhancement in compressive modulus compared to static conditions, demonstrating pronounced strain-rate-dependent stiffening. Finite element analysis reveals efficient load redistribution across the interconnected porous network, providing mechanistic insight into the observed mechanical robustness. Compared with native cartilage and recently reported hydrogel systems, the developed hydrogels exhibit superior stiffness while maintaining mechanical and structural resilience. In vitro cytotoxicity and direct-contact assays confirm excellent cytocompatibility. These results establish a scalable and cost-effective design strategy for engineering mechanically robust, rate-adaptive hydrogels, advancing the development of next-generation artificial cartilage substitutes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hybrid and Functional Gels: Design, Characterization, and Emerging Applications)
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