Nanogels and Microgels: Fundamental Studies, Applications, and Emerging Trends

Dear Colleagues,

Nanogels and microgels are polymeric materials that have become essential in nanotechnology and biomedicine due to their malleable properties and versatile functionality. Nanogels offer significant advantages in drug delivery by efficiently encapsulating therapeutic agents and facilitating controlled release, while microgels are widely employed in tissue engineering and soft actuator applications due to their high loading capacity and ease of processing. Both nanogels and microgels can be engineered to respond to environmental stimuli, rendering them suitable candidates for “smart materials”. Furthermore, fundamental research on nanogels and microgels continues to deepen our understanding of soft matter physics and chemistry.

This Special Issue, titled “Nanogels and Microgels: Fundamental Studies, Applications, and Emerging Trends”, aims to showcase recent advances in this emerging field. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: the volume phase transition of gels, swelling and collapse dynamics, responsive behaviors to external stimuli, new theoretical/experimental methods for characterizing gels, and novel applications of gels in the broad areas of science and technology. Review papers offering perspectives on nanogels and microgels are also welcome.

The aim of this Special Issue is to deepen our fundamental understanding of the structure, dynamics, and material properties of nanogels and microgels, facilitating their broad range of applications across various fields.

Dr. Guang Chen
Dr. Jiaxing Yuan
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.