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Polymers
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Synthesis, Structure, Characterization and Application of Polymer Networks and Gels
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Synthesis, Structure, Characterization and Application of Polymer Networks and Gels

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Networks and Gels".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 1741

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. A-Young Sung

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Optometry & Vision Science, Daegu Catholic University, Gyeongsan 38430, Republic of Korea
Interests: medical polymers; ophthalmic materials; polymer application process

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the latest technologies in the synthesis, structure, characterization and application of polymer networks and gels. Polymer networks and gels are highly correlated, and they have properties that can control mechanical properties and others, depending on the formation of the network. Gels are used in various fields; regarding medicine and pharmaceuticals, they are used as carriers to deliver drugs in a stable manner. The strength, fluidity, and shape of gels depend on temperature, pressure, and chemical composition.

We welcome papers that discuss the latest research or review selected research areas in this field. The scope of this Special Issue includes the synthesis, characterization and application of polymer networks and gels made from organic radical polymers, natural polymers, biocompatible polymers, synthetic polymers or polymeric hydrogels.

The issue is particularly interested in the structure–property relationships of these gels, the novel chemical pathways that enable the functionality of these materials, and their applications in polymer and biomedical research as a springboard for interdisciplinary research.

Prof. Dr. A-Young Sung
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 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. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • polymer network
  • gel polymer
  • polymeric hydrogel
  • gel application

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1108 KiB  
Article
Design of a Dual Molecular Weight Polymer Gel for Water-Shutoff Treatment in a Reservoir with Active Aquifer
by Maria Isabel Sandoval Martinez, Valeria Salgado Carabali, Andres Ramirez, Arlex Chaves-Guerrero and Samuel Muñoz Navarro
Polymers 2025, 17(10), 1399; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101399 - 19 May 2025
Abstract
This study presents the formulation and evaluation of a dual molecular weight polymer gel system composed of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and crosslinked with polyethyleneimine (PEI) for water shut-off applications. A soft gel, designed for deep reservoir penetration, was formulated using 5000 ppm [...] Read more.
This study presents the formulation and evaluation of a dual molecular weight polymer gel system composed of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and crosslinked with polyethyleneimine (PEI) for water shut-off applications. A soft gel, designed for deep reservoir penetration, was formulated using 5000 ppm high-molecular-weight HPAM, while a rigid gel for near-wellbore blockage combined 5000 ppm high- and 5000 ppm low-molecular-weight HPAM. The gel system was designed at 65 °C, with an initial gelation time exceeding 8 h and viscosity values below 15 cP before gelation, ensuring ease of injection. Laboratory assessments included bottle testing, rotational and oscillatory rheological measurements, and core flooding to determine residual resistance factors (RRFs). The soft gel achieved a final strength of Grade D (low mobility), while the rigid gel reached Grade G (moderate deformability, immobile), according to Sydansk’s classification. RRF values reached 93 for the soft gel and 185 for the rigid gel, with both systems showing strong washout resistance and water shut-off efficiencies above 95%. These results demonstrate the potential of the HPAM/PEI gel system as an effective solution for conformance control in mature reservoirs with active aquifers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Structure, Characterization and Application of Polymer Networks and Gels)
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11 pages, 2504 KiB  
Article
CO2-Responsive Plugging Gel with Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate, Polyethyleneimine, and Silica
by Fanghui Liu, Mingmin Zhang, Huiyu Huang, Rui Cheng and Xin Su
Polymers 2025, 17(6), 706; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17060706 - 7 Mar 2025
Viewed by 620
Abstract
Gas channeling during CO2 flooding poses a significant challenge to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in heterogeneous reservoirs, limiting both oil recovery and CO2 sequestration efficiency. To address this issue, a CO2-responsive plugging gel was developed using polyethyleneimine (PEI), sodium [...] Read more.
Gas channeling during CO2 flooding poses a significant challenge to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in heterogeneous reservoirs, limiting both oil recovery and CO2 sequestration efficiency. To address this issue, a CO2-responsive plugging gel was developed using polyethyleneimine (PEI), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and nano-silica. The gel formulation, containing 0.8% SDS, 0.8% PEI, and 0.1% nano-silica, demonstrated excellent CO2-responsive thickening behavior, achieving a viscosity of over 12,000 mPa·s under selected conditions. The gel exhibited reversible viscosity changes upon CO2 and N2 injection, shear-thinning and self-healing properties, and stability under high-temperature (90 °C) and high-salinity (up to 20,000 mg/L) conditions. Plugging experiments using artificial cores with gas permeabilities of 100 mD and 500 mD achieved a plugging efficiency exceeding 95%, reducing permeability to below 0.2 mD. These results emphasize the potential of the CO2-responsive plugging gel as an efficient approach to reducing gas channeling, boosting oil recovery, and enhancing CO2 storage capacity in crude oil reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Structure, Characterization and Application of Polymer Networks and Gels)
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11 pages, 4266 KiB  
Article
Establishment of Optimal Drug Delivery System and Evaluation of Utilization of Hydrogel Contact Lens According to the Addition Method of Tretinoin and Bovine Serum Albumin
by Hye-In Park and A-Young Sung
Polymers 2025, 17(2), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17020159 - 10 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 830
Abstract
This study aims to build an optimal drug delivery system by manufacturing and evaluating a hydrogel contact lens using Tretinoin (ATRA) and protein nanoparticles to improve the drug delivery system as an ophthalmic medical contact lens. To evaluate the optical and physical properties [...] Read more.
This study aims to build an optimal drug delivery system by manufacturing and evaluating a hydrogel contact lens using Tretinoin (ATRA) and protein nanoparticles to improve the drug delivery system as an ophthalmic medical contact lens. To evaluate the optical and physical properties of the manufactured lens, the spectral transmittance, refractive index, water content, contact angle, AFM, tensile strength, drug delivery, and antibacterial properties were analyzed. The contact lens was manufactured to contain ATRA and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in different ways, and the results confirmed that A, B, and C each had different physical properties. In particular, for Sample A, using the soak and release method and using ATRA solution in the contact lens with BSA added, the wettability was 55.94°, the tensile strength was 0.1491 kgf/mm2, and drug delivery released 130.35 μm over 336 h, which was found to be superior to samples B and C. Therefore, the three hydrogel contact lenses compared in this study according to the addition method of ATRA and BSA can be used in various ways to build an optimal drug delivery system that is very useful as an ophthalmic medical lens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Structure, Characterization and Application of Polymer Networks and Gels)
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