Polyelectrolyte Gels

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue on “Polyelectrolyte Gels” is dedicated to recent developments from theoretical and fundamental aspects to the synthesis, characterization, and applications of polyelectrolyte networks and gels. Within this context, a broad range of subjects, including structure and dynamics, molecular modeling and simulation, and applications will be discussed.

Polyelectrolytes are complex polymer systems of which properties reflect chain connectivity, electrostatic effects, and other molecular interactions over multiple length scales. Owing to the complexity of the interactions, an understanding of these materials has been slow to develop despite the importance of charged polymers, both to biology and to materials science.  In living systems, many biopolymers are highly-charged macromolecules.  In their natural environment, they are exposed to different ions.  Synthetic polyelectrolyte gels have a variety of applications in materials science and engineering, including materials for energy storage, separation, and drug delivery. Polyelectrolyte-based materials in which the constituents are organized across multiple length scales have the potential to address a wide range of technological challenges. The precise control of the molecular and supramolecular architecture enables novel applications in biomedicine.  Progress in this field requires an interdisciplinary effort to accomplish a more detailed understanding of the structure and interactions that define the behavior of complex polyelectrolyte systems, and makes it possible to tailor the properties of these materials.

Since it is impossible to cover all aspects of polyelectrolyte gel science in one issue, this Special Issue will contain only a few representative examples, illustrating the complexity of the polyelectrolyte problem.  It is hoped that the topics will stimulate new research and discoveries in the field of polyelectrolyte networks and gels.

Dr. Ferenc Horkay
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-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.