Polymers

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Libo Nie

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Guest Editor

College of Life Science and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, China
Interests: molecularly imprinted polymers; drug delivery system; biosensors

Dr. Li Tang

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Guest Editor

College of Life Science and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, China
Interests: hydrogels; flexible sensors; wound dressing; nano materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In previous decades, rapid advances in biomedicine have been seen with the development of advanced functional materials. Polymer materials, as classic controllable and designable materials, have shown great application prospects in biomedical fields such as biosensing, bioimaging, drug delivery, tissue engineering and health monitoring.

The research shows that the application of functional polymer materials in biomedicine not only helps to solve various health problems faced by humans but also promotes the development of functional polymers. Therefore, we are still looking for novel and interesting ideas to push forward progress in both polymer materials and biomedicine. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews on functional polymer materials in the field of biomedicine are welcomed, including hydrogels, molecularly imprinted polymers, nanopolymers, elastomers, shape memory polymers, and so on.

Prof. Dr. Libo Nie
Dr. Li Tang
Guest Editors

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

functional polymers
molecularly imprinted polymers
nanopolymers
hydrogels
elastomers
shape memory polymers
biosensors
flexible sensors
drug delivery system

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 4243 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with High Mechanical Properties and Programmable Actuation via the Synergy of Double-Network and Synchronized Ultraviolet Polymerization Strategies

by Li Tang, Xuemei Wu, Yue Xu, Youwei Li, Shaoji Wu, Liang Gong and Jianxin Tang

Polymers 2024, 16(6), 840; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16060840 - 19 Mar 2024

Viewed by 724

Abstract

Bilayer hydrogel actuators, consisting of an actuating layer and a functional layer, show broad applications in areas such as soft robotics, artificial muscles, drug delivery and tissue engineering due to their inherent flexibility and responses to stimuli. However, to achieve the compatibility of good stimulus responses and high mechanical properties of bilayer hydrogel actuators is still a challenge. Herein, based on the double-network strategy and using the synchronous ultraviolet (UV) polymerization method, an upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-type bilayer hydrogel actuator was prepared, which consisted of a poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)[MC] actuating layer and an agar/poly(N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid)[AHA] functional layer. The results showed that the tensile stress/strain of the bilayer hydrogel actuator was 1161.21 KPa/222.07%. In addition, the UCST of bilayer hydrogels was ~35 °C, allowing the bilayer hydrogel actuator to be curled into an “◎” shape, which could be unfolded when the temperature was 65 °C, but not at a temperature of 5 °C. Furthermore, hydrogel actuators of three different shapes were designed, namely “butterfly”, “cross” and “circle”, all of which demonstrated good actuating performances, showing the programmable potential of bilayer hydrogels. Overall, the bilayer hydrogels prepared using double-network and synchronous UV polymerization strategies realized the combination of high mechanical properties with an efficient temperature actuation, which provides a new method for the development of bilayer hydrogel actuators. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Biomedical Applications)

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Review

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22 pages, 5967 KiB

Open AccessReview

Repair of Infected Bone Defects with Hydrogel Materials

by Zhenmin Cao, Zuodong Qin, Gregory J. Duns, Zhao Huang, Yao Chen, Sheng Wang, Ruqi Deng, Libo Nie and Xiaofang Luo

Polymers 2024, 16(2), 281; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16020281 - 19 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1124

Abstract

Infected bone defects represent a common clinical condition involving bone tissue, often necessitating surgical intervention and antibiotic therapy. However, conventional treatment methods face obstacles such as antibiotic resistance and susceptibility to postoperative infections. Hydrogels show great potential for application in the field of tissue engineering due to their advantageous biocompatibility, unique mechanical properties, exceptional processability, and degradability. Recent interest has surged in employing hydrogels as a novel therapeutic intervention for infected bone repair. This article aims to comprehensively review the existing literature on the anti-microbial and osteogenic approaches utilized by hydrogels in repairing infected bones, encompassing their fabrication techniques, biocompatibility, antimicrobial efficacy, and biological activities. Additionally, the potential opportunities and obstacles in their practical implementation will be explored. Lastly, the limitations presently encountered and the prospective avenues for further investigation in the realm of hydrogel materials for the management of infected bone defects will be deliberated. This review provides a theoretical foundation and advanced design strategies for the application of hydrogel materials in the treatment of infected bone defects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Biomedical Applications)

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