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Gels publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

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Liposomal and Ethosomal Gels: From Design to Application (2nd Edition)

edited by

Maddalena Sguizzato

and

Rita Cortesi

submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 9583 | Submission Open

Keywords: liposomes; niosomes; ethosomes; hydrogels; topical application; vesicular gels; formulation; characterization

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Processing and Engineering)

Advances in Carbon Gels: From Synthesis to Electrochemical and (Bio)analytical Applications

edited by Ana Casanova and Sébastien Schaefer

submission deadline 15 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 4907 | Submission Open

Keywords: carbon gels; novel synthesis approaches; electrochemical applications; electroanalysis applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Processing and Engineering)

Structured Gels: Mechanics, Responsivity and Applications (2nd Edition)

edited by

Mutian Hua

and Shuwang Wu

submission deadline 20 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1554 | Submission Open

Keywords: structure– property relationship; mechanical properties; responsivity; diffusivity; sensitivity; adhesion energy

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Analysis and Characterization)

Green Gels—Design, Optimization and Applications in Water Depollution

edited by

Cristina-Gabriela Grigoraș

submission deadline 20 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1446 | Submission Open

Keywords: gel formulation; tailored design; water contaminants; eco-friendly water remediation; wastewater treatment optimization

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Chemistry and Physics)

Gels with Health-Promoting Properties

edited by

Masumi Kamiyama

and

Tetsuya Adachi

submission deadline 20 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 28 | Submission Open

Keywords: lifestyle-related diseases; diabetes; hypolipidemic; antioxidant; anti-inflammatory; anti-aging; anti-bacterial; anti-fungal; and anti-viral activity; immunomodulatory; polyphenols; hyaluronic acid; gelling agents; nutritional supplements; functional additives; biofilm

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Innovations in Application of Biofunctional Hydrogels

edited by

Yannan Liu

and

Yingchun Li

submission deadline 25 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 40 | Submission Open

Keywords: hydrogel; biofunctional; tissue engineering; biomedical applications; soft electronics; biomaterial

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Analysis and Characterization)

Functional Gel Materials: Chemistry, Processing, Mechanical Performance, and Applications

edited by Zhaohan Yu and Xiaolin Qiu

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 5495 | Submission Open

Keywords: functional gel materials; gel synthesis; tough hydrogel; biomedical; energy harvesting; elastocaloric polymer; self-healing; flexible electronics

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Innovative Applications of Gelated Matrices in Biomedical and Environmental Engineering

edited by

and

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 2690 | Submission Open

Keywords: gelated matrices; hydrogels; gelation mechanisms; biocompatible gels; drug delivery systems; tissue engineering; wound healing; biosensing; stimuli-responsive gels; multifunctional gels; organogels; gel nanoparticles; gel formulation; nanogels; gel rheology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Synthesis, Properties, and Applications of Novel Polymer-Based Gels

edited by

Peng Zhang

Yuanxun Zheng

and Zhen Gao

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 2206 | Submission Open

Keywords: polymer gels; stimuli-responsive; self-healing; nanocomposite; drug delivery; tissue engineering; soft robotics; wastewater treatment; cementitious matrix; flexible electronics; sustainable packaging; agriculture

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Cellulose Gels: Properties and Prospective Applications

edited by Xiaopeng Peng

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 2138 | Submission Open

Keywords: hydrogels; nanocellulose; cellulose nanocrystals; nanofibrillated cellulose; bacterial nanocellulose; biodegradable; biocompatible

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Analysis and Characterization)

State-of-the-Art Gel Research in Italy (2nd Edition)

edited by

Alessandro Moretto

and

Miriam Mba Blázquez

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2050 | Submission Open

Keywords: gels; supramolecular gels; macromolecular gels; gel-based materials; hydrogels; organogels; metallogels; aerogels; gel composites; functional gels; gel applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Stretchable Conductive Hydrogel Materials for Flexible Sensors and Bioelectronics

edited by

Yanchao Mao

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1934 | Submission Open

Keywords: stretchable conductive hydrogels; flexible sensors; bioelectronic devices; mechanical flexibility; physiological monitoring

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Analysis and Characterization)

Gels for Efficient Energy Storage and Conversion

edited by

Kun Luo

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1216 | Submission Open

Keywords: gels; soft materials; energy storage and conversion; batteries; supercapacitors; fuel cells; water electrolysis systems; solar cells; catalysis-driven research

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Analysis and Characterization)

Designing Gels as Adsorbents and Catalysts

edited by

Michael Arkas

Ioannis Pashalidis

Ioannis Anastopoulos

Dimitrios Giannakoudakis

and

Ioannis Ioannidis

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 842 | Submission Open

Keywords: water purification; catalysis ; catalytic decomposition ; air detoxification; recovery; adsorption ; composite gels

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Recent Progress of Hydrogel Sensors and Biosensors (2nd Edition)

edited by

María-José Bañuls

María Isabel Lucío

and

Ángel Maquieira

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 453 | Submission Open

Keywords: hydrogel; sensors; biosensors; stimuli-responsive; wearable; point of care

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Recent Research on Gel Rheology, Flow, Atomization and Combustion

edited by Hui Zhao and Haifeng Liu

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 362 | Submission Open

Keywords: gels; semi solid; yield stress; viscoelasticity; atomization and sprays; ignition and combustion

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Chemistry and Physics)

Recent Advances in Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering Applications

edited by

Olga Kammona

and

Evgenia Tsanaktsidou

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 120 | Submission Open

Keywords: hydrogels; tissue engineering; bioink formulations; 3D bioprinting; cells; biomolecules; polymers; injectable; biomimetic; stimuli-responsive hydrogels

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Polymeric Hydrogels for Biomedical Application (2nd Edition)

edited by

Ion Cosmin Călina

and

Muhammad Asim Raza

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 103 | Submission Open

Keywords: polymers; hydrogels; crosslinking; radiation; biocompatibility; drug delivery; wound healing; tissue engineering

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Processing and Engineering)

Energy Storage and Conductive Gel Polymers

edited by

Thirukumaran Periyasamy

and

Seong-Cheol Kim

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 78 | Submission Open

Keywords: development of gel polymers in energy storage systems; application of gel polymers in energy storage systems; stable gel electrolytes; stretchable; self-healing; and flexible conductive gels; biodegradable and non-toxic conductive gels; hybrid gel materials

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Novel Functional Gels for Biomedical Applications (2nd Edition)

edited by Jilong Wang

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 58 | Submission Open

Keywords: gels; biomimetic gels; drug delivery; inflammatory microenvironment regulation; cancer therapy

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Recent Advances in Graphene-Based Aerogels

edited by Dianpeng Sui and

Duckjong Kim

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 55 | Submission Open

Keywords: graphene-based aerogels; synthesis methods; energy storage; environmental applications; biomedical applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Global Excellence in Bioactive Gels (2nd Edition)

edited by

Yoshitaka Miyamoto

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 45 | Submission Open

Keywords: bioactive gels; natural polymers; synthetic polymers; gel properties; sol– gel method; gel membrane; drug delivery system (DDS); regenerative therapy; biosensor; application of gels

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Analysis and Characterization)

Hydrogels: Promising Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering

edited by

David Mills

and

Fabio Falleroni

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 33 | Submission Open

Keywords: hydrogels; tissue engineering; mechanotransduction; extracellular matrix; biomaterials; stem cell differentiation; mechnical cues

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Chemistry and Physics)

Properties and Applications of Cellulose-Based Gel

edited by

Jianguo Li

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 27 | Submission Open

Keywords: cellulose; cellulose-based gel; hydrogel; biopolymers; polysaccharides

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Analysis and Characterization)

Bio-Integrated Smart Hydrogels: Self-Assembled Matrices with Fluorescent Moiety for Diagnostics and Therapy

edited by

Mingrui Liao

and

Paula M. T. Ferreira

submission deadline 28 Feb 2026 | Viewed by 19 | Submission Open

Keywords: self-assembling hydrogels; fluorescence-responsive materials; stimuli-responsiveness; theranostics; biomedical applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Chemistry and Physics)

Advanced Hydrogels for Controlled Drug Delivery (2nd Edition)

edited by

Akira Matsumoto

submission deadline 20 Mar 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 7522 | Submission Open

Keywords: smart gels; nanogels; drug delivery; cell and tissue engineering; injectable gels; 3D printing; microneedles

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Moving Towards Food Sustainability: Advances in Novel Alternative and Hybrid Protein Gels

edited by Wenjie Xia,

Lilia Ahrné

, Deniz Z. Gunes and Leonard Sagis

submission deadline 20 Mar 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1871 | Submission Open

Keywords: alternative protein gels; hybrid protein gels; protein interactions; rheology; structure; texture; microscopy

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Properties of Hydrogels, Aerogels, and Cryogels Composites (3rd Edition)

edited by

Irina Elena Raschip

and

Raluca Nicoleta Darie-Nita

submission deadline 20 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 44 | Submission Open

Keywords: biomaterials; porous gels; functional materials; viscoelasticity; interconnectivity; swelling; biomedical and environmental applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Analysis and Characterization)

Chemical Properties and Application of Gel Materials (2nd Edition)

edited by Xiaolong Zeng, Jiahui Liu and

Wen Sun

submission deadline 20 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 23 | Submission Open

Keywords: soft materials; gel materials; synthesis and characterization; structure– property relationships

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Processing and Engineering)

Recent Research on Functional Gels

edited by

Jae-Ho Jeong

submission deadline 26 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 29 | Submission Open

Keywords: advanced functional gels; emerging applications of gel materials; innovative synthesis and characterization techniques; computational modeling and simulation of gels; theoretical developments in gel science; fabrication strategies and process engineering; rational materials design for gel-based systems

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Chemistry and Physics)

Aerogels and Composites Aerogels

edited by

Zhongming Liu

Luísa Durães

and

Pasquale Del Gaudio

submission deadline 28 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 26 | Submission Open

Keywords: aerogel; composite aerogel; synthesis and characterization; physicochemical properties; application

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Chemistry and Physics)

Recent Developments in Cellulose-Based Hydrogels

edited by

Jia-Horng Lin

Ching-Wen Lou

and

Mei-Chen Lin

submission deadline 30 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 77 | Submission Open

Keywords: cellulose-based hydrogel; cellulose modification; cellulose-based hydrogel modification; gels; hydrogel; biopolymer

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Polymer Gels for the Oil and Gas Industry

edited by Lin Li, Yining Wu and

Yifei Liu

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | 12 articles | Viewed by 21091 | Submission Open

Keywords: polymer gels; oil and gas production; oil reservoirs; gel fracturing fluid

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Next-Generation Hydrogels: Bridging Biology and Engineering for Medical Breakthroughs

edited by

Ana Paula Serro

Rogério Colaco

and

Ana Catarina Branco

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 5801 | Submission Open

Keywords: hydrogels design; advanced characterization of materials; biomedical applications of hydrogels; hydrogel sterilization; smart hydrogels; biodegradable hydrogels; in situ gelation; multifunctional hydrogels; drug delivery; antimicrobial properties

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Food Gels: Structures, Properties and Applications

edited by

Honghai Hu

, Jianhui Xiao,

Lianliang Liu

, Ruixuan Zhao and Jing Li

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 3236 | Submission Open

Keywords: structure– property relationships; conditions of gel formation; hydrogels in delivery systems; polysaccharide hydrogels; gel deterioration caused by food processing methods; applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Recent Advances in Multi-Functional Hydrogels

edited by Wenshan Ren, Liang Chen and

Huijie Zhang

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3075 | Submission Open

Keywords: thermo-sensitive hydrogels; photo-sensitive hydrogels; self-healing hydrogels; anti-fouling hydrogels; tough and strong hydrogels; biomedical hydrogels; luminescent hydrogels; hydrogel adhesives; hydrogel sensors; 3D-printed hydrogels; hydrogel-based soft actuators; hydrogel-based electronics

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Nature Polymer Gels for Food Packaging

edited by Josefa Martucci and David A. D'Amico

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 635 | Submission Open

Keywords: biopolymer; gels; edible films; encapsulation; food packaging; active packaging; smart packaging; food preservation

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

New Gels for Medical Applications

edited by

Florentina Monica Raduly

and

Valentin Raditoiu

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 393 | Submission Open

Keywords: hybrid hydrogels; polymer matrices; aerogels; xerogels; micro/nanogels

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Chemistry and Physics)

Advanced Gelatin Materials for Regenerative Medicine

edited by

Wanting Niu

and

Ying Wang

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 258 | Submission Open

Keywords: biomaterials; gelatin-based materials; hydrogel; tissue engineering; regenerative medicine; wound repair; organ-on-chips; microfluidics; drug delivery; anti-inflammatory; antibacterial; hemostasis; tissue mimicking; 3D printing

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Research and Application of Edible Gels

edited by

Yungang Cao

Yu Cheng

Mangang Wu

and Huan Zhang

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 243 | Submission Open

Keywords: edible gels; stimuli-responsive films; sustainable production; plant-based Proteins; dysphagia-friendly foods; agricultural waste valorization; 3D-printed foods; technical bottlenecks

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Hydrogels for Encapsulation Applications

edited by

Maria Virginia Rivero Buceta

and

Luis García-Fernández

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 109 | Submission Open

Keywords: hydrogels; functionalized hydrogels; stimuli-responsive hydrogels; encapsulation; hydrogel encapsulation systems; hydrogel characterization techniques; encapsulated cells; bacterial encapsulation; encapsulated biomolecules; controlled release; microbial applications; biomedicine; environmental applications; biosensors; biocatalysis

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Processing and Engineering)

Advances in Aerogel-Based Composites and Their Electrochemical Applications

edited by

Taehee Kim

, Chuanhui Huang and

Jean-Michel Guenet

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 76 | Submission Open

Keywords: aerogel; porous materials; composite; electrochemistry; electrocatalyst

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Current Directions and Prospects of Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications (2nd Edition)

edited by

Zhiyuan Jia

Holger Schönherr

and

Nowsheen Goonoo

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 59 | Submission Open

Keywords: hydrogels; stimuli-responsive materials; self-healing; nanocomposite; biomedical application

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Cellulose-Based Gels: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications (2nd Edition)

edited by

Monica Boffito

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 54 | Submission Open

Keywords: cellulose; cellulose-based gels; cellulose derivatives ; physico-chemical characterization; biomedical applications; drug delivery; tissue engineering; 3D bioprinting; environmental science ; food science ; cellulose synthesis

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Design of Supramolecular Hydrogels (2nd Edition)

edited by Dipankar Ghosh, Gareth O. Lloyd and Elina I. Sievanen

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 44 | Submission Open

Keywords: designing new supramolecular hydrogelators; prediction of gel properties; mechanism of self-assembly; hydrogel characterization; structure– property relationship; applications in diverse fields; smart hydrogels; 3D/4D printing; tissue engineering; regenerative medicine; controlled release systems; biodegradable hydrogels

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Analysis and Characterization)

Modification of Gels in Creating New Food Products (2nd Edition)

edited by

Anna Florowska

and

Tomasz Florowski

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 41 | Submission Open

Keywords: food gels; hydrogels; emulgels; oleogels; aerogels; natural biopolymers; food gel product design; functional food; control digestive or retention; gel property analysis; textural stability and sensory properties; smart packaging

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

New Advances in Synthesis of Smart and Tough Hydrogel

edited by

Jongkyeong Lim

and Lingyun Wang

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 30 | Submission Open

Keywords: smart hydrogel; tough hydrogel; stimuli-responsive; hydrogel; double-network hydrogel; self-healing material; injectable hydrogel; 3D printing; tissue engineering; nanocomposite hydrogel; soft robotics

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Analysis and Characterization)

Cellulose and Nanofibers-Based Soft Gels: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

edited by Min Zhang

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 18 | Submission Open

Keywords: soft gels; cellulose and nanofibers; physical or chemical crosslinking; high water retention; biocompatibility; stimuli-responsiveness; biomedical applications; mechanical adaptability; sustainability drive

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Chemistry and Physics)

Hydrogels: Promising Biomaterials for Wound Healing and Cartilage Regeneration

edited by

Meng Luo

submission deadline 31 Mar 2026 | Viewed by 18 | Submission Open

Keywords: biomaterial; hydrogel; wound healing; cartilage regeneration

(This special issue belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

Preparation and Applications of Assembled Hydrogels

edited by