Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
2.9
4.6
Journals
Gels
Special Issues
Advances in Hydrogels
share announcement

Advances in Hydrogels

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 48255

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kiat Hwa Chan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Science, Yale-NUS College, 16 College Avenue West, Singapore 138527, Singapore
Interests: peptide; self-assembly; co-assembly; theranostic; noncovalent interaction; Organometallics; metal carbonyl drugs
Dr. Yang Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Pharmacology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan 421001, China
Interests: stimulus-responsive hydrogels; biomedical hydrogels; microgels; supramolecular gels; controlled drug release; tissue engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogels are extremely versatile materials that have rightfully attracted the intense attention of multidisciplinary researchers, who want to utilise hydrogels in fields as diverse as controlled drug delivery to specialised tissue engineering and personalised medicine. In each of these highly specialized applications, the hydrogel has to be capable of executing multiple interlinked functions. This necessitates the presence of many complex molecular functional groups, which may be covalently attached via chemical synthesis to the monomeric constituent of the hydrogel. A very well-known example is a tri-block or multi-block polymer. While this approach is very reliable, it makes the inclusion of each additional desirable functional group increasingly synthetically challenging.

Recently, there have been increasing efforts to assemble such multifunctional hydrogels via the non-covalent co-assembly of monofunctional monomers. The main drive for this development is the recognition that by co-assembling many monofunctional monomers together, one will not be limited by the synthetic challenge posed by a complex monomer. Theoretically, one would be able to co-assemble as many different monomers together to furnish the desirable multifunctional hydrogel. However, there are also new challenges, namely: how to control the co-assembly of different monomers so that the relative spatial arrangements of the various functional groups can furnish the desired complex function. Thus, in this Special Issue, we invite researchers to contribute their current forays into this important emergent field.

Dr. Kiat Hwa Chan
Dr. Yang Liu
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 2600 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.

Published Papers (17 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 210 KiB  
Editorial
Editorial on Special Issue “Advances in Hydrogels”
by Yang Liu
Gels 2022, 8(12), 787; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8120787 - 30 Nov 2022
Viewed by 860
Abstract
Hydrogels are a class of soft materials with crosslinked network structures [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

10 pages, 1881 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Crosslinking Degree of Hydrogels on Hydrogel Adhesion
by Zhangkang Li, Cheng Yu, Hitendra Kumar, Xiao He, Qingye Lu, Huiyu Bai, Keekyoung Kim and Jinguang Hu
Gels 2022, 8(10), 682; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8100682 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3919
Abstract
The development of adhesive hydrogel materials has brought numerous advances to biomedical engineering. Hydrogel adhesion has drawn much attention in research and applications. In this paper, the study of hydrogel adhesion is no longer limited to the surface of hydrogels. Here, the effect [...] Read more.
The development of adhesive hydrogel materials has brought numerous advances to biomedical engineering. Hydrogel adhesion has drawn much attention in research and applications. In this paper, the study of hydrogel adhesion is no longer limited to the surface of hydrogels. Here, the effect of the internal crosslinking degree of hydrogels prepared by different methods on hydrogel adhesion was explored to find the generality. The results show that with the increase in crosslinking degree, the hydrogel adhesion decreased significantly due to the limitation of segment mobility. Moreover, two simple strategies to improve hydrogel adhesion generated by hydrogen bonding were proposed. One was to keep the functional groups used for hydrogel adhesion and the other was to enhance the flexibility of polymer chains that make up hydrogels. We hope this study can provide another approach for improving the hydrogel adhesion generated by hydrogen bonding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 4703 KiB  
Article
Physicomechanical and Morphological Characterization of Multi-Structured Potassium-Acrylate-Based Hydrogels
by José Luis Gradilla-Orozco, José Ángel Hernández-Jiménez, Oscar Robles-Vásquez, Jorge Alberto Cortes-Ortega, Maite Renteria-Urquiza, María Guadalupe Lomelí-Ramírez, José Guillermo Torres Rendón, Rosa María Jiménez-Amezcua and Salvador García-Enriquez
Gels 2022, 8(10), 627; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8100627 - 01 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1853
Abstract
In this work, a photo-polymerization route was used to obtain potassium acrylate-co-acrylamide hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties, well-defined microstructures in the dry state, and unique meso- and macrostructures in the hydrated state. The properties of the hydrogels depended on the concentration of the [...] Read more.
In this work, a photo-polymerization route was used to obtain potassium acrylate-co-acrylamide hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties, well-defined microstructures in the dry state, and unique meso- and macrostructures in the hydrated state. The properties of the hydrogels depended on the concentration of the crosslinking agent. Mechanical properties, swelling capacity, and morphology were analyzed, showing a well-defined transition at a critical concentration of the crosslinker. In terms of morphology, shape-evolving surface patterns appeared at different scales during swelling. These surface structures had a noticeable influence on the mechanical properties. Hydrogels with structures exhibited better mechanical properties compared to unstructured hydrogels. The critical crosslinking concentration reported in this work (using glycerol diacrylate) is a reference point for the future preparation of multistructured acrylic hydrogel with enhanced properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 2137 KiB  
Article
Quercetin/Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex-Loaded Hydrogels for Accelerated Wound Healing
by Nutsarun Wangsawangrung, Chasuda Choipang, Sonthaya Chaiarwut, Pongpol Ekabutr, Orawan Suwantong, Piyachat Chuysinuan, Supanna Techasakul and Pitt Supaphol
Gels 2022, 8(9), 573; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8090573 - 08 Sep 2022
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 2506
Abstract
This study concentrated on developing quercetin/cyclodextrin inclusion complex-loaded polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel for enhanced stability and solubility. Quercetin was encapsulated in hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) by the solvent evaporation method. The prepared quercetin/HP-β-CD inclusion complex showed 90.50 ± 1.84% encapsulation efficiency (%EE) and 4.67 ± [...] Read more.
This study concentrated on developing quercetin/cyclodextrin inclusion complex-loaded polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel for enhanced stability and solubility. Quercetin was encapsulated in hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) by the solvent evaporation method. The prepared quercetin/HP-β-CD inclusion complex showed 90.50 ± 1.84% encapsulation efficiency (%EE) and 4.67 ± 0.13% loading capacity (%LC), and its successful encapsulation was confirmed by FT-IR and XRD. The quercetin/HP-β-CD inclusion complex was well dispersed in viscous solutions of PVA in various amounts (0.5, 1.0, 1.5. 2.5, and 5.0% w/v ratio), and the drug-loaded polymer solution was physically crosslinked by multiple freeze–thaw cycles to form the hydrogel. The cumulative amount of quercetin released from the prepared hydrogels increased with increasing concentrations of the inclusion complex. The introduction of the inclusion complex into the PVA hydrogels had no influence on their swelling ratio, but gelation and compressive strength reduced with increasing inclusion complex concentration. The potential cytotoxicity of quercetin/HP-β-CD inclusion complex hydrogels was evaluated by MTT assay and expressed as % cell viability. The results show biocompatibility toward NCTC 929 clone cells. The inhibitory efficacy was evaluated with 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay, and the results show a higher level of antioxidant activity for quercetin/HP-β-CD inclusion complex hydrogels compared with free quercetin. The findings of our study indicate that the developed quercetin/HP-β-CD inclusion complex hydrogels possess the required properties and can be proposed as a quercetin delivery system for wound-healing applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 4137 KiB  
Article
Transforming Commercial Copper Sulfide into Injectable Hydrogels for Local Photothermal Therapy
by Xiaoran Wang, Zizhen Yang, Zhaowei Meng and Shao-Kai Sun
Gels 2022, 8(5), 319; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8050319 - 20 May 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2491
Abstract
Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising local therapy playing an increasingly important role in tumor treatment. To maximize PTT efficacy, various near-infrared photoabsorbers have been developed. Among them, metal sulfides have attracted considerable interest due to the advantages of good stability and high [...] Read more.
Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising local therapy playing an increasingly important role in tumor treatment. To maximize PTT efficacy, various near-infrared photoabsorbers have been developed. Among them, metal sulfides have attracted considerable interest due to the advantages of good stability and high photothermal conversion efficiency. However, the existing synthesis methods of metal-sulfide-based photoabsorbers suffer from the drawbacks of complicated procedures, low raw material utilization, and poor universality. Herein, we proposed a flexible, adjustable strategy capable of transforming commercial metal sulfides into injectable hydrogels for local PTT. We took copper sulfide (CuS) as a typical example, which has intense second-window near-infrared absorption (1064 nm), to systematically investigate its in vitro and in vivo characteristics. CuS hydrogel with good syringeability was synthesized by simply dispersing commercial CuS powders as photoabsorbers in alginate-Ca2+ hydrogel. This synthesis strategy exhibits the unique merits of an ultra-simple synthesizing process, 100% loading efficiency, good biocompatibility, low cost, outstanding photothermal capacity, and good universality. The in vitro experiments indicated that the hydrogel exhibits favorable photothermal heating ability, and it obviously destroyed tumor cells under 1064 nm laser irradiation. After intratumoral administration in vivo, large-sized CuS particles in the hydrogel highly efficiently accumulated in tumor tissues, and robust local PTT was realized under mild laser irradiation (0.3 W/cm2). The developed strategy for the synthesis of CuS hydrogel provides a novel way to utilize commercial metal sulfides for diverse biological applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2672 KiB  
Article
The Preparation of Novel P(OEGMA-co-MEO2MA) Microgels-Based Thermosensitive Hydrogel and Its Application in Three-Dimensional Cell Scaffold
by Yang Liu, Yu-Ning Luo, Pei Zhang, Wen-Fei Yang, Cai-Yao Zhang and Yu-Li Yin
Gels 2022, 8(5), 313; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8050313 - 19 May 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2123
Abstract
Thermosensitive hydrogel scaffolds have attracted particular attention in three-dimensional (3D) cell culture. It is very necessary to develop a type of thermosensitive hydrogel material with low shrinkage, and excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. Here, five types of thermosensitive microgels with different volume phase transition [...] Read more.
Thermosensitive hydrogel scaffolds have attracted particular attention in three-dimensional (3D) cell culture. It is very necessary to develop a type of thermosensitive hydrogel material with low shrinkage, and excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. Here, five types of thermosensitive microgels with different volume phase transition temperature (VPTT) or particle sizes were first synthesized using 2-methyl-2-propenoic acid-2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethyl ester (MEO2MA) and oligoethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA) as thermosensitive monomers by free radical polymerization. Their VPTT and particle sizes were investigated by a nanometer particle size meter and an ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The feasibility of using these P(OEGMA-co-MEO2MA) microgels to construct thermosensitive hydrogel by means of the thermal induction method is discussed for the first time. The prepared thermosensitive hydrogel with the optimum performance was screened for in situ embedding and three-dimensional (3D) culture of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The experimental results of AO/EB and MTT methods indicate that the pioneering scaffold material has prominent biocompatibility, and cells grow rapidly in the 3D scaffold and maintain high proliferative capacity. At the same time, there is also a tendency to aggregate to form multicellular spheres. Therefore, this original P(OEGMA-co-MEO2MA) thermosensitive hydrogel can serve as a highly biocompatible and easily functionalized 3D cell culture platform with great potential in the biomedical area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

15 pages, 2267 KiB  
Article
Nano Matrix Soft Confectionary for Oral Supplementation of Vitamin D: Stability and Sensory Analysis
by Mohammad Zubair Ahmed, Anshul Gupta, Musarrat Husain Warsi, Ahmed M. Abdelhaleem Ali, Nazeer Hasan, Farhan J. Ahmad, Ameeduzzafar Zafar and Gaurav K. Jain
Gels 2022, 8(5), 250; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8050250 - 19 Apr 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3082
Abstract
Vitamin D deficiency distresses nearly 50% of the population globally and multiple studies have highlighted the association of Vitamin D with a number of clinical manifestations, including musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and neurological disorders. In the current study, vitamin D oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions were [...] Read more.
Vitamin D deficiency distresses nearly 50% of the population globally and multiple studies have highlighted the association of Vitamin D with a number of clinical manifestations, including musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and neurological disorders. In the current study, vitamin D oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions were developed and incorporated in edible gummies to enhance bioavailability, stability, and patient compliance. The spontaneous emulsification method was employed to produce a nano-emulsion using corn oil with tween 20 and lecithin as emulsifiers. Optimization was carried out using pseudo-ternary phase diagrams and the average particle size and polydispersity index (PDI) of the optimized nanoemulsion were found to be 118.6 ± 4.3 nm and 0.11 ± 0.30, respectively. HPLC stability analysis demonstrated that the nano-emulsion prevented the degradation and it retained more than 97% of active vitamin D over 15 days compared to 94.5% in oil solution. Similar results were obtained over further storage analysis. Vitamin D gummies based on emulsion-based gelled matrices were then developed using gelatin as hydrocolloid and varying quantities of corn oil. Texture analysis revealed that gummies formulated with 10% corn oil had the optimum hardness of 3095.6 ± 201.7 g on the first day which remained consistent on day 45 with similar values of 3594.4 ± 210.6 g. Sensory evaluation by 19 judges using the nine-point hedonic scale highlighted that the taste and overall acceptance of formulated gummies did not change significantly (p > 0.05) over 45 days storage. This study suggested that nanoemulsions consistently prevent the environmental degradation of vitamin D, already known to offer protection in GI by providing sustained intestinal release and enhancing overall bioavailability. Soft chewable matrices were easy to chew and swallow, and they provided greater patient compliance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2501 KiB  
Article
Effects of Cryoconcentrated Blueberry Juice as Functional Ingredient for Preparation of Commercial Confectionary Hydrogels
by Nidia Casas-Forero, Igor Trujillo-Mayol, Rommy N. Zúñiga, Guillermo Petzold and Patricio Orellana-Palma
Gels 2022, 8(4), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8040217 - 01 Apr 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2227
Abstract
Hydrogels can absorb and/or retain components in the interstitial spaces due to the 3D cross-linked polymer network, and thus, these matrices can be used in different engineering applications. This study focuses on the physicochemical and textural properties, as well as bioactive compounds and [...] Read more.
Hydrogels can absorb and/or retain components in the interstitial spaces due to the 3D cross-linked polymer network, and thus, these matrices can be used in different engineering applications. This study focuses on the physicochemical and textural properties, as well as bioactive compounds and their antioxidant activity stability of commercial hydrogels fortified with cryoconcentrated blueberry juice (CBJ) stored for 35 days. CBJ was added to commercial hydrogels (gelatin gel (GG), aerated gelatin gel (AGG), gummy (GM), and aerated gummy (AGM)). The samples showed a total polyphenol, anthocyanin, and flavonoid content ranging from 230 to 250 mg GAE/100 g, 3.5 to 3.9 mg C3G/100 g, and 120 to 136 mg CEQ/100 g, respectively, and GG and GM showed the lowest bioactive component degradation rate, while AGM presented the highest degradation. GG and GM samples could be stored for up to 21 days without significant changes, while the results indicated ≈15 days for the AGG and AGM samples. Thereby, CBJ offers enormous possibilities to be used as a functional ingredient due to the high nutritional values, and it allows enriching different hydrogel samples, and in turn, the structures of hydrogels protected components during in vitro digestion, enhancing the bioaccessibility after the digestion process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

8 pages, 1165 KiB  
Article
UV-VIS Curable PEG Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications with Multifunctionality
by Tina Sabel-Grau, Arina Tyushina, Cigdem Babalik and Marga C. Lensen
Gels 2022, 8(3), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8030164 - 05 Mar 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2985
Abstract
Multifunctional biomedical materials capable of integrating optical functions are highly desirable for many applications, such as advanced intra-ocular lens (IOL) implants. Therefore, poly(ethylene glycol)-diacrylate (PEG-DA) hydrogels are used with different photoinitiators (PI). In addition to standard UV PI Irgacure, Erythrosin B and Eosin [...] Read more.
Multifunctional biomedical materials capable of integrating optical functions are highly desirable for many applications, such as advanced intra-ocular lens (IOL) implants. Therefore, poly(ethylene glycol)-diacrylate (PEG-DA) hydrogels are used with different photoinitiators (PI). In addition to standard UV PI Irgacure, Erythrosin B and Eosin Y are used as PI with high sensitivity in the optical range of the spectrum. The minimum PI concentrations for producing new hydrogels with PEG-DA and different PIs were determined. Hydrogel films were obtained, which were applicable for light-based patterning and, hence, the functionalization of surface and volume. Cytotoxicity tests confirm cytocompatibility of hydrogels and compositions. Exploiting the correlation of structure and function allows biomedical materials with multifunctionality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 5001 KiB  
Article
Novel Hydrogel Material with Tailored Internal Architecture Modified by “Bio” Amphiphilic Components—Design and Analysis by a Physico-Chemical Approach
by Richard Heger, Martin Kadlec, Monika Trudicova, Natalia Zinkovska, Jan Hajzler, Miloslav Pekar and Jiri Smilek
Gels 2022, 8(2), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8020115 - 13 Feb 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2867
Abstract
Nowadays, hydrogels are found in many applications ranging from the industrial to the biological (e.g., tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, cosmetics, water treatment, and many more). According to the specific needs of individual applications, it is necessary to be able to modify the [...] Read more.
Nowadays, hydrogels are found in many applications ranging from the industrial to the biological (e.g., tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, cosmetics, water treatment, and many more). According to the specific needs of individual applications, it is necessary to be able to modify the properties of hydrogel materials, particularly the transport and mechanical properties related to their structure, which are crucial for the potential use of the hydrogels in modern material engineering. Therefore, the possibility of preparing hydrogel materials with tunable properties is a very real topic and is still being researched. A simple way to modify these properties is to alter the internal structure by adding another component. The addition of natural substances is convenient due to their biocompatibility and the possibility of biodegradation. Therefore, this work focused on hydrogels modified by a substance that is naturally found in the tissues of our body, namely lecithin. Hydrogels were prepared by different types of crosslinking (physical, ionic, and chemical). Their mechanical properties were monitored and these investigations were supplemented by drying and rehydration measurements, and supported by the morphological characterization of xerogels. With the addition of natural lecithin, it is possible to modify crucial properties of hydrogels such as porosity and mechanical properties, which will play a role in the final applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 6028 KiB  
Article
Factors Affecting the Time and Process of CMC Drying Using Refractance Window or Conductive Hydro-Drying
by Rubén D. Múnera-Tangarife, Efraín Solarte-Rodríguez, Carlos Vélez-Pasos and Claudia I. Ochoa-Martínez
Gels 2021, 7(4), 257; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7040257 - 11 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2374
Abstract
Intensive research on biodegradable films based on natural raw materials such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) has been performed because it enables the production of transparent films with suitable barrier properties against oxygen and fats. Considering the importance of the production of this type [...] Read more.
Intensive research on biodegradable films based on natural raw materials such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) has been performed because it enables the production of transparent films with suitable barrier properties against oxygen and fats. Considering the importance of the production of this type of film at the industrial level, a scalable and continuous drying method is required. Refractance window-conductive hydro drying (RW-CHD) is a sustainable and energy-efficient method with high potential in drying this kind of compound. The objective of this study was to evaluate the factors (CMC thickness, heating water temperature, and film type) and radiation penetration depth that affect drying time and energy consumption. It was found that drying time decreased with increasing temperature and decreasing thickness. Similarly, energy consumption decreased with decreasing temperature and thickness. However, the drying time and energy consumed per unit weight of product obtained were equivalent when drying at any of the thicknesses evaluated. Film type had little effect on time and energy consumption compared to the effects of temperature and CMC thickness. The radiation penetration depth into the CMC was determined to be 1.20 ± 0.19 mm. When the thickness was close to this value, the radiation energy was better utilized, which was reflected in a higher heating rate at the beginning of drying. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

18 pages, 4974 KiB  
Article
Development of Novel Superabsorbent Hybrid Hydrogels by E-Beam Crosslinking
by Ion Călina, Maria Demeter, Anca Scărișoreanu and Marin Micutz
Gels 2021, 7(4), 189; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7040189 - 29 Oct 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2010
Abstract
In this study, several superabsorbent hybrid hydrogel compositions prepared from xanthan gum (XG)/sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)/graphene oxide (GO) were synthesized by e-beam radiation crosslinking. We studied and evaluated the effects of GO content from the chemical structure of the hydrogels according to: sol-gel analysis, [...] Read more.
In this study, several superabsorbent hybrid hydrogel compositions prepared from xanthan gum (XG)/sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)/graphene oxide (GO) were synthesized by e-beam radiation crosslinking. We studied and evaluated the effects of GO content from the chemical structure of the hydrogels according to: sol-gel analysis, swelling degree, diffusion of water, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, network structure, and dynamic mechanical analysis. The gel fraction and swelling properties of the prepared hydrogels depended on the polymer compositions and the absorbed dose. The hybrid XGCMCGO hydrogels showed superabsorbent capacity and reached equilibrium in less than 6 h. In particular, the XGCMCGO (70:30) hydrogel reached the highest swelling degree of about 6000%, at an irradiation dose of 15 kGy. The magnitude of the elastic (G′) and viscous (G″) moduli were strongly dependent on the absorbed dose. When the degree of crosslinking was higher, the G′ parameter was found to exceed 1000 Pa. In the case of the XGCMCGO (80:20) hydrogel compositions, the Mc and ξ parameters decreased with the absorbed dose, while crosslinking density increased, which demonstrated that we obtained a superabsorbent hydrogel with a permanent structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1548 KiB  
Article
Instantaneous Degelling Thermoresponsive Hydrogel
by Noam Y. Steinman and Abraham J. Domb
Gels 2021, 7(4), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7040169 - 14 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1871
Abstract
Responsive polymeric hydrogels have found wide application in the clinic as injectable, biocompatible, and biodegradable materials capable of controlled release of therapeutics. In this article, we introduce a thermoresponsive polymer hydrogel bearing covalent disulfide bonds. The cold aqueous polymer solution forms a hydrogel [...] Read more.
Responsive polymeric hydrogels have found wide application in the clinic as injectable, biocompatible, and biodegradable materials capable of controlled release of therapeutics. In this article, we introduce a thermoresponsive polymer hydrogel bearing covalent disulfide bonds. The cold aqueous polymer solution forms a hydrogel upon heating to physiological temperatures and undergoes slow degradation by hydrolytic cleavage of ester bonds. The disulfide functionality allows for immediate reductive cleavage of the redox-sensitive bond embedded within the polymer structure, affording the option of instantaneous hydrogel collapse. Poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactic acid)-S-S-poly(lactic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-PLA-SS-PLA-PEG) copolymer was synthesized by grafting PEG to PLA-SS-PLA via urethane linkages. The aqueous solution of the resultant copolymer was a free-flowing solution at ambient temperatures and formed a hydrogel above 32 °C. The immediate collapsibility of the hydrogel was displayed via reaction with NaBH4 as a relatively strong reducing agent, yet stability was displayed even in glutathione solution, in which the polymer degraded slowly by hydrolytic degradation. The polymeric hydrogel is capable of either long-term or immediate degradation and thus represents an attractive candidate as a biocompatible material for the controlled release of drugs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 2120 KiB  
Article
Typical Fluorescent Sensors Exploiting Molecularly Imprinted Hydrogels for Environmentally and Medicinally Important Analytes Detection
by Lihua Zou, Rong Ding, Xiaolei Li, Haohan Miao, Jingjing Xu and Guoqing Pan
Gels 2021, 7(2), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7020067 - 08 Jun 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2389
Abstract
In this work, two typical fluorescent sensors were generated by exploiting molecularly imprinted polymeric hydrogels (MIPGs) for zearalenone (ZON) and glucuronic acid (GA) detection, via the analyte’s self-fluorescence property and receptor’s fluorescence effect, respectively. Though significant advances have been achieved on MIPG-fluorescent sensors [...] Read more.
In this work, two typical fluorescent sensors were generated by exploiting molecularly imprinted polymeric hydrogels (MIPGs) for zearalenone (ZON) and glucuronic acid (GA) detection, via the analyte’s self-fluorescence property and receptor’s fluorescence effect, respectively. Though significant advances have been achieved on MIPG-fluorescent sensors endowed with superior stability over natural receptor-sensors, there is an increasing demand for developing sensing devices with cost-effective, easy-to-use, portable advantages in terms of commercialization. Zooming in on the commercial potential of MIPG-fluorescent sensors, the MIPG_ZON is synthesized using zearalanone (an analogue of ZON) as template, which exhibits good detection performance even in corn samples with a limit of detection of 1.6 μM. In parallel, fluorescein-incorporated MIPG_GA is obtained and directly used for cancer cell imaging, with significant specificity and selectivity. Last but not least, our consolidated application results unfold new opportunities for MIPG-fluorescent sensors for environmentally and medicinally important analytes detection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

35 pages, 2303 KiB  
Review
Biomimetic Hydrogels in the Study of Cancer Mechanobiology: Overview, Biomedical Applications, and Future Perspectives
by Ayse Z. Sahan, Murat Baday and Chirag B. Patel
Gels 2022, 8(8), 496; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8080496 - 10 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2867
Abstract
Hydrogels are biocompatible polymers that are tunable to the system under study, allowing them to be widely used in medicine, bioprinting, tissue engineering, and biomechanics. Hydrogels are used to mimic the three-dimensional microenvironment of tissues, which is essential to understanding cell–cell interactions and [...] Read more.
Hydrogels are biocompatible polymers that are tunable to the system under study, allowing them to be widely used in medicine, bioprinting, tissue engineering, and biomechanics. Hydrogels are used to mimic the three-dimensional microenvironment of tissues, which is essential to understanding cell–cell interactions and intracellular signaling pathways (e.g., proliferation, apoptosis, growth, and survival). Emerging evidence suggests that the malignant properties of cancer cells depend on mechanical cues that arise from changes in their microenvironment. These mechanobiological cues include stiffness, shear stress, and pressure, and have an impact on cancer proliferation and invasion. The hydrogels can be tuned to simulate these mechanobiological tissue properties. Although interest in and research on the biomedical applications of hydrogels has increased in the past 25 years, there is still much to learn about the development of biomimetic hydrogels and their potential applications in biomedical and clinical settings. This review highlights the application of hydrogels in developing pre-clinical cancer models and their potential for translation to human disease with a focus on reviewing the utility of such models in studying glioblastoma progression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

26 pages, 5888 KiB  
Review
Current Understanding of the Applications of Photocrosslinked Hydrogels in Biomedical Engineering
by Juan Liu, Chunyu Su, Yutong Chen, Shujing Tian, Chunxiu Lu, Wei Huang and Qizhuang Lv
Gels 2022, 8(4), 216; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8040216 - 01 Apr 2022
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 3496
Abstract
Hydrogel materials have great application value in biomedical engineering. Among them, photocrosslinked hydrogels have attracted much attention due to their variety and simple convenient preparation methods. Here, we provide a systematic review of the biomedical-engineering applications of photocrosslinked hydrogels. First, we introduce the [...] Read more.
Hydrogel materials have great application value in biomedical engineering. Among them, photocrosslinked hydrogels have attracted much attention due to their variety and simple convenient preparation methods. Here, we provide a systematic review of the biomedical-engineering applications of photocrosslinked hydrogels. First, we introduce the types of photocrosslinked hydrogel monomers, and the methods for preparation of photocrosslinked hydrogels with different morphologies are summarized. Subsequently, various biomedical applications of photocrosslinked hydrogels are reviewed. Finally, some shortcomings and development directions for photocrosslinked hydrogels are considered and proposed. This paper is designed to give researchers in related fields a systematic understanding of photocrosslinked hydrogels and provide inspiration to seek new development directions for studies of photocrosslinked hydrogels or related materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 1949 KiB  
Review
Novel Hydrogels for Topical Applications: An Updated Comprehensive Review Based on Source
by Yosif Almoshari
Gels 2022, 8(3), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8030174 - 10 Mar 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5050
Abstract
Active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) or drugs are normally not delivered as pure chemical substances (for the prevention or the treatment of any diseases). APIs are still generally administered in prepared formulations, also known as dosage forms. Topical administration is widely used to deliver [...] Read more.
Active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) or drugs are normally not delivered as pure chemical substances (for the prevention or the treatment of any diseases). APIs are still generally administered in prepared formulations, also known as dosage forms. Topical administration is widely used to deliver therapeutic agents locally because it is convenient and cost-effective. Since earlier civilizations, several types of topical semi-solid dosage forms have been commonly used in healthcare society to treat various skin diseases. A topical drug delivery system is designed primarily to treat local diseases by applying therapeutic agents to surface level parts of the body such as the skin, eyes, nose, and vaginal cavity. Nowadays, novel semi-solids can be used safely in pediatrics, geriatrics, and pregnant women without the possibility of causing any allergy reactions. The novel hydrogels are being used in a wide range of applications. At first, numerous hydrogel research studies were carried out by simply adding various APIs in pure form or dissolved in various solvents to the prepared hydrogel base. However, numerous research articles on novel hydrogels have been published in the last five to ten years. It is expected that novel hydrogels will be capable of controlling the APIs release pattern. Novel hydrogels are made up of novel formulations such as nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, microemulsions, liposomes, self-nano emulsifying drug delivery systems, cubosomes, and so on. This review focus on some novel formulations incorporated in the hydrogel prepared with natural and synthetic polymers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-17
Back to TopTop