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Gels
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Advances in Biomass-Based Gels: Synthesis, Structure, Properties and Applications
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Advances in Biomass-Based Gels: Synthesis, Structure, 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: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1358

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jiongjiong Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Interests: phenolic resin; low-temperature fast curing; toughening and reinforcement; biomass-based phenolic resin; synthesis and modification; biomass wood adhesives; biomass-based gel materials
Dr. Liuting Mo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Resources, Environment and Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Interests: biomass-based gel materials; structural design; functionalization; advanced wood/bamboo composites; fabrication; application
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nature is a great reservoir of ideas for scientists worldwide, and at the same time, it is the direct source of a variety of materials with diverse properties, including some of the most popular biomass: cellulose, protein, lignin, starch, chitin and chitosan. It is amazing how from the nature source, we can derive products for later use in a variety of applications ranging from scaffolds for tissue engineering to drug delivery devices, wound patches, wastewater management technology, food packaging and agricultural materials. This results in a great library of biomass-based biopolymers and their composites, which can be used to formulate hydrogels characterized by a set of useful properties. Scientific creativity has no limits, and we all pursue our work to find superior solutions to challenges faced in modern medicine, the environment and the food and cosmetic industry. Understanding the intricacies of gel structures is crucial for achieving desired properties, which is fundamental in advancing this field. The recent advancements in colloid science, combined with emerging trends in nanotechnology, have sparked new ventures in biomass-based gel research, thus presenting exciting opportunities for the domains of foods, energy, the environment, drug and nutraceutical delivery, biomedicine and biomaterials. Depending on the nature of the immobilized liquid phase, there are two general kinds of gels: hydrogels and organogels. Beyond the countless applications of hydrogels and organogels in chemistry, radiochemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, reconstruction and regenerative medicine, cosmetics, the food industry, biotechnology and environmental protection, it is important and necessary to strive for the continuous adjustment and development of methods for the investigation and characterization of such complex systems. Considering that gels can generally be studied and characterized in their swollen (as-prepared) and/or dry (via air-drying or freeze-drying) states, this Special Issue focuses on the advanced in biomass-based gels: their synthesis, structure, properties and applications.

Dr. Jiongjiong Li
Dr. Liuting Mo
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

  • biomass hydrogels and aerogel: synthesis, structure, properties and applications
  • cellulose-based hydrogels and aerogels
  • chitin/chitosan derivates
  • drug delivery/ tissue engineering
  • composites and high-performance materials
  • water-retention performance
  • detection and environmental protection
  • application fields of agriculture and medicine

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 5831 KB  
Article
Separation of Lignin from Paulownia and Its Application in DES Gels
by Hanyin Li, Liangdi Zhang, Xiaobo Xue, Yi Meng, Youming Dong, Fei Xiao, Hanmin Wang and Cheng Li
Gels 2026, 12(5), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12050365 - 27 Apr 2026
Viewed by 179
Abstract
In this study, binary and ternary DES systems were prepared using choline chloride (ChCl) with lactic acid (LA), glycerol (GL), urea, and acrylic acid (AA) to extract lignin from Paulownia. The chemical structure of lignin was analyzed to evaluate the structural changes induced [...] Read more.
In this study, binary and ternary DES systems were prepared using choline chloride (ChCl) with lactic acid (LA), glycerol (GL), urea, and acrylic acid (AA) to extract lignin from Paulownia. The chemical structure of lignin was analyzed to evaluate the structural changes induced by various DES systems, and the isolated lignin was used to prepare DES gels. The results showed that lignin extracted using different DES systems shares similarities in its basic structural framework, with all samples retaining an intact benzene ring structure. However, there are certain differences in the content of the linking bonds and the S/G ratio, and the acidic DES caused the breakage of the β-O-4′ linkage in the lignin molecule, promoting its separation. The molecular weight distribution varied among the DES systems. In the ternary DES, the addition of acrylic acid disrupted lignin’s internal chemical linkages, leading to the precipitation of relatively small lignin molecules. TGA results demonstrated varying levels of thermal resistance among lignin extracted from different DES systems varied, with the best stability observed for lignin extracted from the ChCl-LA system. Lignin extracted from Paulownia using different DES systems was added to the DES gels, and the effects of lignin structure on the properties of the DES gels were investigated. The mechanical, swelling, microstructural, and thermal properties of DES gels prepared from different Paulownia lignin structures showed slight differences; however, no significant discrepancies were observed among the gels. The present work offers a novel strategy for the valorization of lignin derived from lignocellulosic biomass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass-Based Gels: Synthesis, Structure, Properties and Applications)
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22 pages, 4449 KB  
Article
Green Synthesis of N-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots from Chitin Nanohydrogels for Highly Sensitive Fe3+ Detection
by Tianji Li, Delong Dai, Luohui Wang, Minghui Zhao, Lianfeng Shen, Youming Dong, Fei Xiao, Cheng Li and Jianwei Zhang
Gels 2026, 12(4), 271; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12040271 - 25 Mar 2026
Viewed by 489
Abstract
In order to achieve rapid and qualitative detection of soluble heavy metal ions, nitrogen-doped fluorescent carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were synthesized using chitin extracted from shrimp and crab shells as the carbon source. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of the synthesized N-CQDs [...] Read more.
In order to achieve rapid and qualitative detection of soluble heavy metal ions, nitrogen-doped fluorescent carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were synthesized using chitin extracted from shrimp and crab shells as the carbon source. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of the synthesized N-CQDs were systematically characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies (XPS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The resulting N-CQDs exhibited a carbonization yield of 54.46% and a fluorescence quantum yield of 34.33%. Their morphology, structure and optical properties were thoroughly characterized using a range of analytical techniques. The synthesized N-CQDs exhibited excellent fluorescence properties, and remarkable stability. When applied for metal ion detection, the N-CQDs displayed a distinct and selective fluorescence quenching response exclusively toward Fe3+ ions. The detection limit for Fe3+ at room temperature was 4.04 μmol/L. Furthermore, due to the inherent nitrogen present in the acetyl amino groups of chitin, nitrogen doping was achieved without the need for external dopants during the hydrothermal synthesis process. Owing to their high stability, low cost and low toxicity, the N-CQDs synthesized in this study provide a promising fluorescence sensing platform with excellent selectivity for Fe3+ detection, achieved through precise control of surface functional groups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass-Based Gels: Synthesis, Structure, Properties and Applications)
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15 pages, 4426 KB  
Article
Eco-Friendly In Situ Fabrication of Silver Nanoparticle-Loaded Chitosan Nanogels for Antibacterial Applications
by Tianji Li, Minghui Zhao, Luohui Wang, Delong Dai, Youming Dong, Fei Xiao, Cheng Li, Xiuhong Zhu and Jianwei Zhang
Gels 2026, 12(2), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12020135 - 2 Feb 2026
Viewed by 413
Abstract
Eco-friendly chitosan nanogels (CSNG) with an average diameter of 48.5 nm were synthesized via alkali/urea dissolution and employed as templates for in situ silver nanoparticle fabrication. Silver nanoparticle size was controlled by adjusting CSNG to AgNO3 mass ratios, with the optimal ratio [...] Read more.
Eco-friendly chitosan nanogels (CSNG) with an average diameter of 48.5 nm were synthesized via alkali/urea dissolution and employed as templates for in situ silver nanoparticle fabrication. Silver nanoparticle size was controlled by adjusting CSNG to AgNO3 mass ratios, with the optimal ratio of 18:1 producing ultrasmall particles of 3.72 nm, uniformly dispersed in the matrix. The nanocomposites demonstrated superior antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones of 14.3 mm against E. coli and 12.1 mm against S. aureus, significantly exceeding pure CSNGs at 7.4 mm and 6.9 mm, respectively. Rheological analysis revealed shear-thinning behavior, with viscosity decreasing from 450 Pa·s to 0.1 Pa·s, confirming excellent injectability. Cytotoxicity evaluation showed cell viability exceeding 82.3% at 100 μg/mL, which was substantially superior to conventional silver formulations. Thermogravimetric analysis and FTIR spectroscopy verified enhanced thermal stability and coordination interactions between chitosan and silver species. This green synthesis approach yields injectable, size-tunable nanocomposites with combined antibacterial efficacy and biocompatibility for biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass-Based Gels: Synthesis, Structure, Properties and Applications)
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