Novel Polymer Gels: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

"Novel Polymer Gels: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications", with a focus on hydrogels, elastomers, and preparation methods:

Polymer gels, including hydrogels, aerogels, cryogels, and elastomers, have emerged as versatile materials with a wide range of applications in various fields, including biomedicine, soft robotics, and environmental remediation. This Special Issue aims to gather the latest research and advancements in the synthesis, characterization, properties, and applications of novel polymer gels.

Synthesis and Fabrication:

• Novel synthesis methods for polymer gels, including hydrogels and elastomers, such as chemical and physical crosslinking techniques, enzymatic synthesis, and click chemistry approaches.
• Advances in the design and fabrication of polymer gels with tailored properties, including stimuli-responsive gels, self-healing gels, and shape memory gels.
• Green synthesis approaches for polymer gels, emphasizing sustainability and environmentally friendly processes.

Characterization:

• Structural characterization of polymer gels using techniques such as spectroscopy, microscopy, and scattering methods to understand their molecular and supramolecular structures.
• Mechanical and rheological properties of polymer gels, including their viscoelastic behavior, toughness, and modulus, and their response to external stimuli.
• Swelling behavior and stimuli-responsive properties of polymer gels, including their response to pH, temperature, light, and other environmental cues.

Properties:

• Electrical, optical, and thermal properties of polymer gels and their composites, highlighting their potential in electronic skins, sensors, actuators, and energy storage devices.
• Biocompatibility and bio-functionality of polymer gels for applications in drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.
• Self-healing and shape memory properties of polymer gels, showcasing their ability to recover from mechanical damage and retain programmed shapes.
• Polymer gels with antimicrobial properties are particularly useful in biomedical applications, where they can help prevent infections in wounds or medical devices. These gels can also be used in food packaging to extend the shelf life of perishable products by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms. Additionally, in environmental applications, antimicrobial polymer gels can be used to control the growth of algae and other organisms in water treatment systems.

Applications:

• Drug delivery systems based on polymer gels, including controlled release formulations, implantable devices, and targeted delivery systems.
• Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications of polymer gels, such as scaffolds for cell growth, wound healing, and organ-on-a-chip platforms.
• Soft robotics and actuators using polymer gels, highlighting their flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness for soft robotic systems.
• Sensors and actuators based on polymer gels, demonstrating their ability to detect and respond to various stimuli for sensing and actuation applications.
• Environmental applications of polymer gels, including water purification, oil spill cleanup, and environmental sensing, showcasing their potential for sustainable solutions.

Preparation Methods:

• Microfluidic and 3D printing techniques for the fabrication of complex structures and gradients in polymer gels.
• Hybrid and composite gels combining polymer gels with other materials to achieve enhanced properties and functionalities.
• Scale-up strategies for the production of polymer gels, addressing the challenges of translating laboratory-scale synthesis to industrial-scale manufacturing.

Contributions to this Special Issue can include original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that provide insights into the current state-of-the-art, challenges, and future directions in the field of novel polymer gels. The Special Issue welcomes submissions from researchers in academia, industry, and government laboratories, aiming to foster collaboration and innovation in this exciting and rapidly evolving field.

Dr. Amin Babaei-Ghazvini
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. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2100 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.

• polymer gels
• chemical and physical crosslinking
• stimuli-responsive
• self-healing
• antimicrobial
• drug delivery
• tissue engineering
• soft robotics
• sensors
• environmental

1. Sodium Alginate and Decellularized Uterine Extracellular Matrix Hybrid Hydrogel for Uterine Bioprinting Applications

Abbas Fazel Anvari Yazdi ^1*, Kobra Tahermanesh ², Daniel J. MacPhee ³, Ildiko Badea ⁴, Maryam Ejlali ⁵, Amin Babaei-Ghazvini ⁶, Bishnu Acharya ⁶, Xiongbiao Chen ^1,7*

2. Biomimetic Hydrogel for the Construction of Patient-derived Bladder Cancer Organoids with Aggressive Growth Dynamics

Jin Zhang^1,2, Jiaxin Wang², Xiaofeng Hu^1,2, Wei Jia^2,3, Zhongji Jiang^2,3, Zikuan Zhang^1,2, Ling Guo², Dongwen Wang^4,5

3. Mixing of Biomaterials Inside a Multi-material Bioprinting Head

Reza Gharraei, Donald J. Bergstrom, and Xiongbiao Chen