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Functional Hydrogels: Design, Properties and Applications
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Functional Hydrogels: Design, Properties and Applications

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Soft Matter".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 4998

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Zhihui Qin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Hebei Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
Interests: hydrogel; flexible sensors; soft materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymeric networks that can absorb and retain a large amount of water or biological fluids, making them suitable for a variety of applications in the fields of biomedical engineering, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and electronic skin. The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together researchers and practitioners from different fields to share their knowledge and expertise on the design, properties, and applications of hydrogels.

The Special Issue covers a broad range of topics related to hydrogel design, properties, and applications. Some of the key themes include the design and synthesis of hydrogels with tailored properties for specific applications, the properties of hydrogels and their applications in various fields, and the development of new methods for characterizing and analyzing hydrogels. The articles in this Special Issue provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners working in this area and highlight the exciting opportunities for future research in this field.

We welcome submissions of original research articles, review articles, and short communications that focus on the design, properties, and applications of hydrogels. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Synthesis and characterization of hydrogels;
  • Hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue engineering;
  • Hydrogels for biosensors and other sensing applications;
  • Hydrogels for wastewater treatment and environmental applications;
  • Novel methods for characterizing and analyzing hydrogels;
  • Biocompatibility and biodegradability of hydrogels.

Dr. Zhihui Qin
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. Materials 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 2600 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 hydrogels
  • drug delivery
  • tissue engineering
  • biosensors
  • wastewater treatment
  • flexible sensors

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

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2556 KiB  
Article
Electrical Conductivity as an Informative Factor of the Properties of Liposomal Systems with Naproxen Sodium for Transdermal Application
by Witold Musiał, Carla Caddeo, Alina Jankowska-Konsur, Giorgio Passiu, Tomasz Urbaniak, Maria Twarda and Adam Zalewski
Materials 2024, 17(22), 5666; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17225666 - 20 Nov 2024
Viewed by 345
Abstract
Liposomal preparations play an important role as formulations for transdermal drug delivery; however, the electrical conductivity of these systems is sparingly evaluated. The aim of the study was to outline the range of the values of electrical conductivity values that may be recorded [...] Read more.
Liposomal preparations play an important role as formulations for transdermal drug delivery; however, the electrical conductivity of these systems is sparingly evaluated. The aim of the study was to outline the range of the values of electrical conductivity values that may be recorded in the future pharmaceutical systems in the context of their viscosity. The electrical conductivity, measured by a conductivity probe of k = 1.0 cm−1, and the dynamic viscosity of liposomal and non-liposomal systems with naproxen sodium, embedded into a methylcellulose hydrophilic gel (0.25%), were compared with data from preparations without naproxen sodium in a range reflecting the naproxen sodium concentrations 0.1·10−2–9.5·10−2 mol/L. The specific conductivity covered a 1.5 μS·cm−1–5616.0 μS·cm−1 range, whereas the viscosity ranged from 0.9 to 9.4 mPa·s. The naproxen sodium highly influenced the electrical conductivity, whereas the dynamic viscosity was a moderate factor. The observed phenomena may be ascribed to the high mobility of sodium ions recruited from naproxen sodium and the relatively low concentrations of applied methylcellulose. The assembly of lecithin in liposomes may have lowered the specific conductivity of the systems with naproxen sodium. These measurements will be further developed for implementation as simple assays of the concentrations of active pharmaceutical ingredient in release experiments of preparations proposed for dermatological applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Hydrogels: Design, Properties and Applications)
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13 pages, 3789 KiB  
Article
Water Dynamics in Fish Collagen Gels—Insight from NMR Relaxometry
by Maciej Osuch, Joanna Nowosad, Dariusz Kucharczyk, Michał K. Łuczyński, Adrianna Mieloch, Janusz Godlewski and Danuta Kruk
Materials 2024, 17(17), 4438; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17174438 - 9 Sep 2024
Viewed by 712
Abstract
1H spin–lattice relaxation experiments have been performed for gels based on fish collagen in order to analyze water dynamics. The covered frequency range ranges from 10 kHz to 10 MHz; in some cases, the temperature has varied as well. The relaxation data [...] Read more.
1H spin–lattice relaxation experiments have been performed for gels based on fish collagen in order to analyze water dynamics. The covered frequency range ranges from 10 kHz to 10 MHz; in some cases, the temperature has varied as well. The relaxation data have been reproduced in terms of two models of water motion—a model including two relaxation contributions associated with the diffusion of water molecules on the macromolecular surfaces and a second model being just a phenomenological power law. The concept of surface diffusion has led to a very good agreement with the experimental data and a consistent set of parameters, with the diffusion coefficients being about five orders of magnitude slower compared to bulk water for one of the pools and considerably faster for the second one (smaller by factors between 2 and 20 compared to bulk water). In some cases, the attempt to reproduce the data in terms of a power law has led to a good agreement with the experimental data (the power law factor varying between 0.41 and 0.57); however, in other cases, the discrepancies are significant. This outcome favors the concept of surface diffusion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Hydrogels: Design, Properties and Applications)
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20 pages, 7848 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Crosslinking Methods and Their Impact on the Physicochemical Properties of SA/PVA Hydrogels
by Konrad Niewiadomski, Daniel Szopa, Katarzyna Pstrowska, Paulina Wróbel and Anna Witek-Krowiak
Materials 2024, 17(8), 1816; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17081816 - 15 Apr 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1645
Abstract
Hydrogels, versatile materials used in various applications such as medicine, possess properties crucial for their specific applications, significantly influenced by their preparation methods. This study synthesized 18 different types of hydrogels using sodium alginate (SA) and two molecular weights of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). [...] Read more.
Hydrogels, versatile materials used in various applications such as medicine, possess properties crucial for their specific applications, significantly influenced by their preparation methods. This study synthesized 18 different types of hydrogels using sodium alginate (SA) and two molecular weights of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Crosslinking agents such as aqueous solutions of calcium (Ca2+) and copper (Cu2+) ions and solutions of these ions in boric acid were utilized. The hydrogels were subjected to compression strength tests and drying kinetics analysis. Additionally, six hydrogel variants containing larger PVA particles underwent Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) post-drying. Some samples were lyophilized, and their surface morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that the choice of crosslinking method significantly impacts the physicochemical properties of the hydrogels. Crosslinking in solutions with higher concentrations of crosslinking ions enhanced mechanical properties and thermal stability. Conversely, using copper ions instead of calcium resulted in slower drying kinetics and reduced thermal stability. Notably, employing boric acid as a crosslinking agent for hydrogels containing heavier PVA molecules led to considerable improvements in mechanical properties and thermal stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Hydrogels: Design, Properties and Applications)
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14 pages, 5753 KiB  
Article
Fully Physically Crosslinked Conductive Hydrogel with Ultrastretchability, Transparency, and Self-Healing Properties for Strain Sensors
by Feng Ji, Pengbo Shang, Yingkai Lai, Jinmei Wang, Guangcai Zhang, Dengchao Lin, Jing Xu, Daniu Cai and Zhihui Qin
Materials 2023, 16(19), 6491; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16196491 - 29 Sep 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1524
Abstract
Currently, conductive hydrogels have received great attention as flexible strain sensors. However, the preparation of such sensors with integrated stretchability, transparency, and self-healing properties into one gel through a simple method still remains a huge challenge. Here, a fully physically crosslinked double network [...] Read more.
Currently, conductive hydrogels have received great attention as flexible strain sensors. However, the preparation of such sensors with integrated stretchability, transparency, and self-healing properties into one gel through a simple method still remains a huge challenge. Here, a fully physically crosslinked double network hydrogel was developed based on poly(hydroxyethyl acrylamide) (PHEAA) and κ-carrageenan (Car). The driving forces for physical gelation were hydrogen bonds, ion bonding, and electrostatic interactions. The resultant PHEAA-Car hydrogel displayed stretchability (1145%) and optical transparency (92%). Meanwhile, the PHEAA-Car hydrogel exhibited a self-healing property at 25 °C. Additionally, the PHEAA-Car hydrogel-based strain sensor could monitor different joint movements. Based on the above functions, the PHEAA-Car hydrogel can be applied in flexible strain sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Hydrogels: Design, Properties and Applications)
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Review

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25 pages, 1721 KiB  
Review
Hydrogels and Their Functionalization—Analysis of the Possibility of Their Application in Post-Fire Water Treatment Processes
by Anna Rabajczyk, Justyna Gniazdowska, Piotr Stojek, Katarzyna Czyżewska, Anna Trusek and Karolina Labus
Materials 2024, 17(23), 5820; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17235820 - 27 Nov 2024
Abstract
Increasingly intense changes in climatic conditions and the use of modified materials are causing fires, the consequences of which are increasingly serious for the environment. On one hand, there is the issue of access to water resources. On the other hand, there is [...] Read more.
Increasingly intense changes in climatic conditions and the use of modified materials are causing fires, the consequences of which are increasingly serious for the environment. On one hand, there is the issue of access to water resources. On the other hand, there is the problem of post-fire wastewater, which often contains a mixture of simple inorganic compounds and complex organic molecules, making the removal of pollutants a difficult task requiring innovative approaches. Among these solutions, hydrogels stand out as a promising class of sorption materials. Depending on their synthesis or functionalization, hydrogels can effectively capture contaminants and facilitate the reduction or removal of specific pollutants. This study explores the functionalization of polymeric materials, specifically hydrogels, using microorganisms or bioactive substances to create materials capable of treating water contaminated with hazardous substances generated during firefighting incidents. The possibility of wastewater capture was also taken into account to retain pretreated water at the place of pollutant generation. The analysis covered the potential, conditions, and limitations of using hydrogels in post-fire operations for the effective management of contaminated waters. It was shown that hydrogels, depending on the modification, have the potential to capture wastewater and purify it from both organic and inorganic substances specific to post-fire wastewater. However, it is not possible for a given hydrogel to meet all desired expectations at the same time. Furthermore, modifications that facilitate the optimal performance of certain functionalities may render the others ineffective. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Hydrogels: Design, Properties and Applications)
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