Search Results (2,396)

Hydrogels have garnered significant attention due to their tunable structures and broad applicability in biomedical and smart materials. However, achieving a balance between excellent mechanical performance and multifunctionality remains a major challenge. In this study, a series of multifunctional polyurethane hydrogels (PUGs) was developed by integrating dynamic disulfide bonds and pendant tertiary amine groups into poly(ethylene glycol)-based networks using a solvent-exchange method. Structural characterization confirmed the successful formation of a crosslinked porous network. The hydrogels demonstrated remarkable mechanical properties, with PUG–II exhibiting a tensile strength of 448 kPa and an elongation at break of 489%, as well as exceptional compressibility (371 kPa at 90% strain) and fatigue resistance. Meanwhile, the PUGs displayed efficient room-temperature self-healing with a healing efficiency of up to 94.5%. The reversible protonation of tertiary amine groups imparted pronounced pH-responsive swelling behavior, with the equilibrium swelling ratio of PUG–I at pH 2.0 being 5.8 times higher than that at pH 12.0. This study provides a promising strategy for developing PU-based hydrogels that combine robust mechanical performance and multifunctionality, offering potential for advanced smart material applications. Full article

The rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance has intensified the need for advanced therapeutic platforms capable of improving the efficacy, stability, and targeted delivery of antimicrobial agents. Electrospun nanofibers have emerged as highly promising materials for biomedical applications due to their large surface area, high porosity, tunable morphology, and ability to incorporate a broad range of bioactive compounds. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the design, fabrication, and biomedical applications of electrospun bioactive nanofibers functionalized with antimicrobial drugs. It presents the main nanofiber fabrication techniques, with particular emphasis on electrospinning and the influence of solution, process, and environmental parameters on fiber morphology and drug-loading efficiency. Natural, synthetic, and hybrid polymer systems commonly employed in electrospun antimicrobial nanofibers are analyzed in relation to their physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and therapeutic performance. In addition, the review highlights different drug incorporation strategies, including encapsulation, immobilization, and surface coating, as well as the mechanisms of action of antimicrobial agents. Recent advances in nanotechnology-based antimicrobial systems and their role in overcoming analytical, biopharmaceutical, and drug-delivery limitations are also examined. Furthermore, the review addresses current challenges related to scalability, reproducibility, stability, and clinical translation of electrospun nanofibers. Finally, future perspectives focusing on multifunctional, stimuli-responsive, and personalized antimicrobial nanofiber systems are discussed as promising directions for combating bacterial infections and reducing the global burden of antimicrobial resistance. Full article

Electrospinning (ES) can produce nonwoven fibrous mats with high surface area and interconnected porosity, making them attractive for biomedical and functional material applications. However, conventional ES often relies on volatile organic solvents, raising safety, environmental, and translational concerns. Fully aqueous (“green”) ES offers an appealing alternative, although many water-soluble polymers remain difficult to spin and may show limited stability under hydrated conditions. In this study, two fully aqueous binary systems, poly(vinylpyrrolidone)–sodium alginate (PVP–SA) and poly(vinylpyrrolidone)–riboflavin (PVP–RF), were investigated to decouple the roles of sodium alginate (SA) and riboflavin (RF) on solution behaviour, fibre formation, morphology, dry-state mechanical properties, and surface chemistry. Aqueous PVP solutions (20% w/v; molecular weight 1.3 MDa) were blended with SA (1–5 wt% relative to PVP) or RF (1–10 wt% relative to PVP). Electrical conductivity and rheological properties were evaluated prior to ES under controlled conditions, with simultaneous ultraviolet (UV) exposure at 344 nm during fibre collection. RF did not significantly alter conductivity (~0.74–0.75 µS·cm⁻¹), whereas SA increased conductivity up to 2.75 ± 0.03 µS·cm⁻¹ at 5 wt%. All formulations exhibited shear-thinning behaviour, while 10 wt% RF increased the zero-shear viscosity relative to neat PVP. Morphological analysis showed that low SA contents produced uniform fibres, whereas higher SA levels (4–5 wt%) led to bead defects and reduced fibre diameter (down to 85 ± 25 nm). Dry-state mechanical performance decreased with increasing SA content, while 10 wt% RF improved tensile strength and toughness, reaching an ultimate tensile strength of 5.21 ± 0.15 MPa and toughness of 40.51 ± 1.53 MJ·m⁻³. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated subtle UV-driven redistribution of surface chemical states, consistent with mild photo-oxidative microstructural modification rather than extensive covalent network formation. Because the UV irradiance was not directly measured and wet-state stability was not assessed, the UV-related findings are interpreted as preliminary chemical evidence rather than confirmation of stabilized fibre mats. Overall, this work establishes a solvent-free aqueous ES platform in which ionic and photoactive additives can be used to tailor fibre morphology, dry-state mechanical behaviour, and surface characteristics without toxic reagents. Full article

A time-saving approach to gelatin-based hydrogels with versatile properties is highly desirable. Herein, we report the rapid fabrication of new gelatin-containing hydrogels with favorable mechanical properties, biocompatibility and antibacterial capability. Frontal polymerization (FP) of acrylic acid (AA), acrylamide (AM), hydroxypropyl acrylate (HPA) with gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) enables the rapid formation of multifunctional hydrogels within 7 min, providing a highly efficient route for gelatin-based hydrogel fabrication. The effect of GelMA content on FP features and hydrogel properties was systematically investigated. The resultant hydrogels show attractive collective properties with tensile strength up to 101.3 kPa, elongation at break up to 227.7%, cell viability of 96% after 24 h, and antibacterial activity against S. aureus (92.2%). In addition, the FP of the hydrogels with use of forsythia-derived carbon dots (F-CDs) as bioactive nanofillers is explored, conferring the hydrogels with enhanced mechanical performance and biocompatibility, demonstrating the applicability of this FP strategy upon incorporating functional additives. This work provides a simple and effective approach for the rapid preparation of gelatin-containing hydrogels with versatile functions promising for biomedical applications such as wound healing and tissue engineering. Full article

Antimicrobial resistance and biofilm-associated contamination continue to pose critical challenges in food safety and biomedical applications, necessitating the development of advanced antimicrobial materials with enhanced efficacy, safety, and functional adaptability. Antimicrobial nanomaterials offer versatile solutions due to their tunable physicochemical properties, surface engineering capabilities, and controlled release behaviors, enabling improved antimicrobial and antibiofilm performance across diverse systems. This review highlights the main advancements in AI-assisted design of antimicrobial nanomaterials, demonstrating how data-driven approaches are increasingly used to predict antimicrobial activity, optimize synthesis parameters, model nanotoxicity, integrate multimodal datasets, and improve interpretability through explainable AI frameworks. Key findings indicate that machine learning-guided strategies and autonomous experimental platforms significantly accelerate material optimization while reducing reliance on traditional trial-and-error methods. The review further summarizes the performance and mechanisms of major antimicrobial nanomaterial systems, including metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, metal–organic frameworks, polymeric nanocarriers, nanoemulsions, and hybrid nanostructures, with emphasis on their translational applications in food preservation, antimicrobial coatings, wound healing, implant protection, and drug delivery. Despite these advances, challenges remain in data quality, model generalizability, toxicity prediction, reproducibility, and regulatory translation. AI-enabled and data-driven frameworks provide a powerful pathway for accelerating the rational design and practical implementation of next-generation antimicrobial nanomaterials. Full article

Gelatin is a valuable hydrocolloid produced by partial hydrolysis of collagen from mainly mammalian and fish sources. The rheological properties of fish gelatin differ from those of mammalian species in terms of gel strength, viscosity, and other rheological characteristics, even from different fish species and parts of the fish with different properties. Fish gelatin is sustainable for the environment and easy for people to accept for cultural reasons. Owing to these properties, gelatin is used across food, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and health sectors, where 3D printing enables customization and functional performance. Key determinants of print fidelity include gelatin concentration, rheological properties, temperature, gelling behavior, water content, and printing parameters. Suitability for 3D printing is typically assessed via physicochemical characterization, particularly rheology and gelling mechanisms/kinetics. Gelatin-based 3D printing systems offer various advantages due to their biocompatibility, low cost, and controllable rheological properties, and they have potential applications in the food, healthcare, biomedical, tissue engineering, and drug delivery system areas. Using gelatin in combination with other additives can improve printing accuracy and mechanical strength parameters, overcome the limitations of gelatin’s inherent mechanical strength, and develop higher printing accuracy and performance systems. This allows for the development of functional, innovative, and high-value-added products while ensuring safe use. Full article

Magnesium is an extremely important macromineral in the human body. In recent years, magnesium and its alloys have been widely used in the biomedical field due to their excellent biocompatibility, degradability, and mechanical properties similar to those of human bone. Magnesium-based materials can degrade completely within the human body, releasing magnesium ions, hydrogen gas, hydroxides, insoluble particles, and other bioactive substances, thereby influencing the microenvironment and the biochemical states of various cell types. This review systematically summarizes the biological effects of magnesium alloys in various microenvironments, analyzes the molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between various bioactive components and their respective microenvironments, and finally explores strategies for optimizing magnesium alloy devices, thereby providing a reference for further research on the synergistic use of magnesium-based implants and drugs. Full article

TC2 titanium alloy (Ti-4Al-1.5Mn, wt.%) is a near-α titanium alloy with promising aerospace and biomedical applications, but its limited room temperature ductility and strong texture sensitivity hinder the fabrication of high-performance sheets. In this study, the effects of hot rolling at 830 °C and 930 °C on the microstructure, macro-texture, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of TC2 alloy were investigated. Compared with the 830 °C rolled sample, the 930 °C rolled sample exhibited finer primary α grains, a higher volume fraction of fine and dispersed secondary α_s phase, and more uniform Mn distribution, while both samples retained an α + β phase constitution. Texture and ODF (orientation distribution function) analyses revealed that increasing the rolling temperature reduced the maximum intensity of the (0001) pole figure from 6.68 to 5.23 m.r.d. (multiples of a random distribution) and increased that of the (10-10) pole figure to 9.62 m.r.d., indicating weakened basal texture, enhanced prismatic texture, and more dispersed orientation distribution. Consequently, although the tensile strength slightly decreased to approximately 730 MPa, the elongation increased from approximately 24% to 28%. The finer and denser dimples observed after 930 °C rolling further confirmed improved plastic deformation coordination. Full article

Programmable peptide hydrogels represent advanced supramolecular biomaterials featured with customizable molecular sequences and tunable self-assembly behaviors, which can biomimetically reconstruct the structural and microenvironmental complexity of native extracellular matrix. This review systematically elaborates the molecular engineering advances of programmable peptide hydrogels following a hierarchical logic from fundamental mechanisms to translational applications. We first interpret the intrinsic self-assembly mechanisms driven by non-covalent interactions and the regulatory effects of typical external microenvironmental stimuli. On this basis, we summarize core rational design principles, covering stimuli-responsive structural optimization, biofunctional modification, and the tunable regulation of physical properties, degradability and immunogenicity. Furthermore, we correlate multi-scale structural features (nanostructures, porous architecture and mechanical properties) with their versatile biomedical functions, and comprehensively discuss their cutting-edge applications in tissue regeneration, targeted drug and gene delivery, cell-mediated therapy, immunomodulation, and anti-infective treatment. Finally, we identify critical translational barriers including batch-to-batch inconsistency, immunogenic risks, and in vivo performance instability, and highlight future directions involving multi-stimuli-responsive systems, artificial intelligence-assisted design, computational modeling, and hybrid material construction. This work systematically clarifies the structure–property–function relationship of peptide hydrogels, and underscores their great potential as next-generation platforms for precision regenerative medicine and targeted disease intervention. Full article

Hydrogel-based sensors have emerged as transformative soft-sensing platforms, featuring tissue-matched compliance, high water content, stimuli responsiveness, and chemical tunability, properties which are unachievable with conventional rigid sensors. Despite substantial advances, the existing reviews focus on individual polymer categories, discrete transduction mechanisms, or targeted standalone applications, failing to establish an integrated pipeline from material design to final sensing performance. This review fills these crucial gaps by systematically correlating polymer chemistry, crosslinking tactics, and fabrication protocols with the selection of transduction mechanisms and resultant sensing performance across biomedical and environmental fields. We conduct a critical assessment of natural and synthetic polymers together with chemical, physical, and hybrid composite crosslinking methodologies. Multiple sensing modalities, including piezoresistive, capacitive, thermogalvanic, electrochemical, colorimetric, ratiometric fluorescence, and piezoionic sensing are elaborated alongside representative quantitative performance parameters. Emerging platforms, including self-powered thermogalvanic sensors, SERS-integrated biosensors, and MXene/MOF composites, are highlighted as underexplored frontiers. In addition, persistent bottlenecks including dehydration-derived signal drift, inferior long-term operational stability, unsatisfactory target selectivity, and obstacles toward large-scale manufacturability are rigorously analyzed. Ultimately, this review constructs a holistic unified framework bridging polymer molecular design, fabrication engineering, signal transduction, and practical end-use applications, laying a clear developmental roadmap for next-generation flexible and smart hydrogel-based sensing systems. Full article

Raw lacquer, a natural polymer derived from the bast of lacquer trees (Toxicodendron vernicifluum), is renowned as the “King of Coatings” due to its exceptional film-forming properties, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. However, its inherent limitations—including stringent drying conditions, slow curing rates, deep coloration, and difficult application—have severely restricted its modernization and widespread adoption. This review systematically summarizes recent research advances in the modification and application of raw lacquer, focusing on four major modification strategies: (1) Nanocomposite modification—incorporating functional nanofillers such as Al₂O₃, cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), polydopamine (PDA) melanin-like nanoparticles, and SiO₂ to significantly enhance film hardness, compactness, UV-aging resistance, and drying kinetics. (2) Chemical structure modification—employing molecular design strategies including aminoanthraquinone grafting, tung oil blending, water-based emulsification, and terpene/allyl group functionalization to improve hydrophobicity, flexibility, fast-drying properties, and achieve dual photo/oxygen curing. (3) Biomass synergistic composites—utilizing natural polymers such as chitosan and lignin, along with bio-inspired adhesion mechanisms (e.g., PDA), to confer advanced functionalities including antibacterial and antifouling properties. (4) Curing behavior regulation—precisely controlling drying kinetics through inorganic salt ion microenvironment engineering, nonionic surfactants, and salicylaldehyde Schiff base-based driers. Building upon these foundations, this review further expands on the emerging high-value applications of modified lacquer in preventive conservation of cultural heritage, advanced functional coatings (anti-corrosion, super-hydrophobicity, flame retardancy), biomedical materials (hemostasis, antibacterial activity, drug-controlled release, water treatment adsorption), and intelligent responsive flexible electronics. Finally, addressing challenges including weak fundamental research, bottlenecks in green industrialization, and lack of standardization, future development directions are proposed encompassing interdisciplinary innovation, sustainable modification strategies, integration of multifunctional intelligent systems, and big data-driven research paradigms, aiming to provide theoretical guidance and technical references for the high-value utilization and modernization of lacquer resources. Full article

The application of silk sericin as a polymeric biomaterial has recently gained interest, although its film was found to be fragile, exhibiting brittleness when subjected to relatively slight stress, and it also displayed higher water solubility. This study focused on the enhanced physico-mechanical properties of the three films obtained by the crosslinking of sericin protein from three silkworm cocoons with poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to reduce phase separation and solubilization of the films by promoting miscibility between sericin and PVA. The findings demonstrated how crosslinking with glutaraldehyde enhanced thermal stability and tensile strength and controlled the solubility of the three sericin–PVA films. The sericin from G. postica, G. rufobrunnea, and Argema mimosae is composed of serine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid, which make up 80% of the total polar amino acids. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed that sericin–PVA films have semicrystalline features, representing amorphous and crystalline regions. The XRD results also indicated that the Saturniidae sericin–PVA film (Sat-SPF), Gonometa postica sericin–PVA film (GP-SPF), and Gonometa rufobrunnea sericin–PVA film (GR-SPF) have crystallinity percentages of 66.4%, 55.9%, and 17.7%, respectively. The moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) values observed in this study ranged from 991.2 to 5160 g/m²/24 h, indicating that these films can effectively regulate moisture levels in wounds. The swelling capacity of the three sericin–PVA composite films depends on the crosslinking density of their structures and was also found to be sensitive to the pH of the aqueous media, demonstrating their hydrophilic nature and potential use in drug delivery systems. The water vapor permeability of sericin–PVA films increased with higher environmental relative humidity (RH) and moisture content within the films. The elongation at break for GP-SPF (107.2% ± 3.1) and Sat-SPF (73.0% ± 4.1) was significantly higher than in GR-SPF (29.3% ± 2.3). However, their tensile strength and elastic modulus were lower than those of GR-SPF. These results show that the number of polar groups (amino and hydroxyl groups) from both sericin and PVA influences all the properties of the sericin–PVA composite films. The three sericin–PVA solutions were found to have antibacterial efficacy against three Gram-positive and one Gram-negative bacteria over 24 h. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed a rough surface with a granular network pattern, which supports the potential use of sericin–PVA films for cell adhesion and proliferation, which are essential for biomedical wound dressing applications. Full article

Biogenically synthesized metal-based nanoparticles have emerged as an attractive alternative to traditional physicochemical methods. The conventional way to prepare metal nanoparticles involves using toxic chemicals as reducing agents and stabilizers, which is tedious to handle and highly detrimental to the environment. Hence, biological synthetic routes for the biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles have been widely explored in recent research. It involves using biological molecules present in organisms, such as bacteria, plants, and fungi, as well as vitamins and enzymes, to reduce, stabilize, and regulate nanoparticle growth. These green-synthesized nanoparticles have demonstrated promising biomedical applications, especially as antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective agents, owing to their superior biocompatibility and surface chemistry. In addition, there is potential to develop therapeutic formulations that leverage the interactions between nanoparticles’ properties and biological systems. This review discusses the mechanisms of biogenic synthetic routes, with a detailed discussion of plant, bacterial, enzymatic, fungal, and vitamin-mediated green synthetic metal-based nanoparticles and their applications in biomedical and drug delivery fields. Full article

Despite the widespread use of polyurethane (PU) in biomedical devices, its long-term application has been hindered by insufficient hemocompatibility caused by protein adsorption and subsequent thrombosis. In this study, a fluorinated PU (F–PCU) was designed to improve surface hemocompatibility while maintaining mechanical performance and good cytocompatibility. F–PCU was synthesized via a prepolymer method using a fluorinated diol and an ordered hard-segment extender. The chemical structure, thermal behavior, and mechanical properties were systematically characterized, while surface properties and biological performance were evaluated by water contact angle, protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, and cytotoxicity assays. The results demonstrated that fluorinated side chains preferentially enriched at the surface, forming a low-energy interface with significantly enhanced hydrophobicity. F–PCU exhibited excellent mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 49.5 MPa and an elongation at break of 965%. Notably, protein adsorption and platelet adhesion were substantially reduced, while good cytocompatibility was maintained, indicating improved surface hemocompatibility. These findings suggest that integrating ordered hard segments with fluorinated side chains is an effective strategy to optimize both bulk and surface properties, offering promising potential for long-term biomedical applications. Full article

This study investigates physicochemical, mechanical, and thermal effects of St. John’s wort (JW) oil on gelatin-based films for potential biomedical applications as there is limited research on gelatin biomaterials containing JW oil as sole bioactive component. Transparent films were fabricated at gelatin:JW oil ratios of 20:0, 20:1, 20:5 (w/w) designated as JW-0, JW-1, JW-2, respectively, via solution casting. Gas chromatography revealed that JW oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, predominantly linoleic and oleic acids, while FTIR confirmed their successful integration into the gelatin matrix through the fatty acid peak at 1743 cm⁻¹. Oil droplets, increasing with oil content was shown by SEM. JW oil improved water durability by reducing water aging by up to 8%. JW oil acted as a plasticizer, raising elongation at break (EAB) from 188% in JW-0 to 231% and 209% in JW-1 and JW-2, respectively. DSC indicated a higher T_max in JW-1 (116 °C) compared to JW-2 (110 °C), evidencing better thermal stability. In conclusion, JW oil can be effectively incorporated into gelatin as a single active component. Specifically, JW-1 formulation achieved an optimal balance between mechanical and structural integrity, flexibility, and thermal stability, underscoring its potential as a cost-effective, bioactive wound dressing material. Full article