Smart Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogels are three-dimensional crosslinked polymeric networks capable of imbibing large amounts of water and biological fluids in the interstitial spaces between the polymer chains. They present a unique class of hydrophilic, self-supporting materials which have been considered extensively for biomedical applications. Recent focus has shifted toward stimuli-responsive or smart hydrogels, which in addition to traditional swelling/deswelling behavior, can detect prevailing external stimuli such as pH, temperature, light, ionic strength, magnetic field, etc., and respond accordingly through structural, morphological or functional changes. The stimuli-responsive character has created a niche for smart hydrogels in biomedical applications. However, this is an evolving subject and efforts are being made to better understand the stimuli-responsive mechanisms as well as fabricating smart hydrogels for specific biomedical applications.

Recognizing the importance and growing interest in smart hydrogels, we would like to invite you to contribute a short communication, full article or review to this issue, entitled: “Smart Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications”. Smart hydrogel-based systems, ranging from natural to synthetic polymers, will be considered for this edition. Moreover, smart hydrogel synthesis, characterization, responsiveness to different stimuli, and smart hydrogel-based material fabrication for biomedical applications will be covered. This list is only indicative and by no means exhaustive, and we welcome contributions on any aspect of smart hydrogels used for biomedical applications.

Dr. Ashveen Nand
Dr. Sudip Ray
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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