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Gels
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Advances in Colloidal Hydrogels
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Advances in Colloidal Hydrogels

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Chemistry and Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 15022

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. To Ngai

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
Interests: colloidal particle; interfacial science; polymer and soft materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Fuguo Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science & Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Interests: physicochemical properties and structure-activity relationships of food hydrocolloids; delivery systems for nutraceuticals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogel is a three-dimensional polymer network system based on hydrophilic macromonomers, which integrates water absorption, water retention, and slow release. Depending on the source of constituent polymers, hydrogels can be classified as natural, synthetic or hybrid hydrogels. Hydrogels can be formed by physical crosslinking through non-covalent interactions, chemical crosslinking by covalent bonds, or crosslinking through a combination of the two. At the macro level, hydrogel is similar to solid matter: it has a specific shape and does not produce liquid-like fluctuations. At the microscopic level, hydrogels exhibit fluid behavior: water-soluble substances can diffuse in the gel at different rates, and after diffusion, they exhibit different shapes and size distributions. Due to the high-water content, traditional hydrogels have poor mechanical properties and are relatively brittle in a fully swollen state. As active substance delivery systems, hydrogels can improve the bioavailability of bioactive ingredients and control their release, so they have a wide range of applications in the development of functional foods and medicines. In addition, hydrogels have good biosafety and cell adhesion properties, which endow them with important applications in wound healing and cartilage damage repair. At the same time, the excellent swelling properties of hydrogels make them have good applications as adsorbents in agriculture and forestry.

In recent years, interpenetrating network gels, dual-network hydrogels, and smart hydrogels with good mechanical properties, response performance under specific external conditions (such as temperature, pH, and ionic strength), good surface properties, as well as biodegradability, have aroused great interest among scientists. This special issue aims to discuss the latest research progress of novel hydrogels, including the preparation, modification methods, formation mechanisms, structure and phase behavior, as well as their applications in different fields, in order to provide ideas for further research and development of hydrogels. This is a very useful resource for researchers who are actively involved in the development of gel-based functional foods and drugs. We accept original research articles, critical review papers, and commentaries.

Prof. Dr. To Ngai
Dr. Fuguo Liu
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. 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 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

  • Novel hydrogel
  • Structure–property relationship
  • Mechanical property
  • Functionalities
  • Applications

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 169 KiB  
Editorial
Editorial for the Special Issue “Advances in Colloidal Hydrogels”
by Fuguo Liu and To Ngai
Gels 2023, 9(5), 404; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels9050404 - 11 May 2023
Viewed by 781
Abstract
Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymer networks derived from hydrophilic macromonomers, which can be categorized as natural, synthetic, or hybrid hydrogels [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Colloidal Hydrogels)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

12 pages, 1101 KiB  
Article
Intake of Sugar Substitute Gummy Candies Benefits the Glycemic Response in Healthy Adults: A Prospective Crossover Clinical Trial
by Dan Gan, Minjun Xu, Ling Chen, Shaohua Cui, Changyong Deng, Qian Qiao, Ruimiao Guan and Fang Zhong
Gels 2022, 8(10), 642; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8100642 - 10 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3071
Abstract
Sugar reduction in food has attracted great health concerns worldwide. Gummies have been one of the most popular and highly favored candies due to their chewable properties, simplicity to swallow, and delicious taste. The general perception is that gummies raise blood sugar levels, [...] Read more.
Sugar reduction in food has attracted great health concerns worldwide. Gummies have been one of the most popular and highly favored candies due to their chewable properties, simplicity to swallow, and delicious taste. The general perception is that gummies raise blood sugar levels, but the truth is that gummies with the right formula can control glycemic response. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the gummy dosage form and sugar types on the glycemic response control. Maltitol and erythritol as sweetener alternatives were applied in gummy candies (total and partial sugar substitutes gummy, T-SG and P-SG), with sucrose-based gummies used as comparisons (CG). A prospective crossover study was then conducted on 17 healthy adults. The effects of different types of gummies on glycemic response in healthy adults were evaluated on the basis of the participants’ glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) values. Every three-day interval, participants took CG, P-SG, T-SG, and glucose solution, respectively, and the theoretical glucose conversion content was kept the same in all groups for each trial. Each participant performed four tests with each sample and recorded the changes in blood glucose after food consumption. It was found that all three types of gummies slowed down subjects’ glycemic response when not taken in excess, and the improvement effect was in the trend of T-SG > P-SG > CG. Both P-SG and T-SG were low-GI candies (54.1 and 49.9). CG that was not consumed in excess of 17.2 g had a high GI (81.9) but a low GL (<10). Texture analysis and in vitro digestion were used to explore the effect of gummy matrix on glucose release. T-SG and P-SG retained a higher hardness and were less hydrolyzed to release glucose during digestion compared with CG. Additionally, experiments have revealed that gummies can reverse the poor glucose tolerance in women. In conclusion, gummies are a good carrier for dietary supplements due to their sustained-release characteristic of available carbohydrates and provide healthier options for people in control of glucose homeostasis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Colloidal Hydrogels)
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16 pages, 3949 KiB  
Article
Effect of NaCl on the Rheological, Structural, and Gelling Properties of Walnut Protein Isolate-κ-Carrageenan Composite Gels
by Yuqing Lei, Hui Ouyang, Wu Peng, Xiongwei Yu, Long Jin and Shugang Li
Gels 2022, 8(5), 259; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8050259 - 21 Apr 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3176
Abstract
In this study, we discovered that a certain concentration of Na+ (15 mM) significantly improved the bond strength (12.94 ± 0.93 MPa), thermal stability (72.68 °C), rheological properties, and textural attributes of walnut protein isolate (WNPI)-κ-carrageenan (KC) composite gel. Electrostatic force, hydrophobic [...] Read more.
In this study, we discovered that a certain concentration of Na+ (15 mM) significantly improved the bond strength (12.94 ± 0.93 MPa), thermal stability (72.68 °C), rheological properties, and textural attributes of walnut protein isolate (WNPI)-κ-carrageenan (KC) composite gel. Electrostatic force, hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bond, and disulfide bond were also significantly strengthened; the α-helix decreased, and the β-sheet increased in the secondary structure, indicating that the protein molecules in the gel system aggregated in an orderly manner, which led to a much denser and more uniform gel network as well as improved water-holding capacity. In this experimental research, we developed a new type of walnut protein gel that could provide technical support for the high-value utilization and quality control of walnut protein. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Colloidal Hydrogels)
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19 pages, 3535 KiB  
Article
Comparative Study of Heat- and Enzyme-Induced Emulsion Gels Formed by Gelatin and Whey Protein Isolate: Physical Properties and Formation Mechanism
by Siqi Li, Guipan Chen, Xinyue Shi, Cuicui Ma and Fuguo Liu
Gels 2022, 8(4), 212; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8040212 - 31 Mar 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2663
Abstract
Emulsion gels have received increasing attention due to their unique physicochemical properties. In this paper, gelatin and whey protein isolate (WPI) were used to construct emulsion-filled gels by heat-induced or enzyme-induced methods, and their rheology, texture properties and microstructure were explored and compared. [...] Read more.
Emulsion gels have received increasing attention due to their unique physicochemical properties. In this paper, gelatin and whey protein isolate (WPI) were used to construct emulsion-filled gels by heat-induced or enzyme-induced methods, and their rheology, texture properties and microstructure were explored and compared. The effect of the preparation methods, emulsion droplet characteristics and gel matrix concentration on the elastic modulus and hardness of the gels were firstly investigated, then the key control factors were picked out by calculating the Pearson correlation index, and the design principle was constructed by combining these factors flexibly for emulsion gels with adjustable texture. The results show that the emulsion gels formed by different preparation methods have completely distinct microstructures and emulsion distributions, as well as the macroscopic properties of the gels, specifically the enzyme-induced gels exhibited greater elastic modulus and hardness, while heat-induced gels were softer and more delicate. In addition, the droplet sizes of filled emulsions and matrix concentration mainly affected the rheological properties and hardness of the gels. This study successfully established the design principles of emulsion gels with tunable texture structure, which provided a reference for targeted gels preparation according to the texture properties required by specific application scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Colloidal Hydrogels)
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9 pages, 1042 KiB  
Article
Effects of Hydrothermal and Microwave Dual Treatment and Zein on the Enzymolysis of High Amylose Corn Starch
by Jie Liu, Qiuye Yang, Tiantian Yuan, Yawei Liu and Guihong Fang
Gels 2022, 8(1), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8010029 - 04 Jan 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1904
Abstract
Resistant starch (RS) type 2-high-amylose corn starch (HACS) was subjected to simultaneous hydrothermal (25% moisture content, 90 °C for 12 h) and microwave (35% moisture content, 40 W/g microwaving for 4 min) treatment and zein (at a zein to treated starch ratio of [...] Read more.
Resistant starch (RS) type 2-high-amylose corn starch (HACS) was subjected to simultaneous hydrothermal (25% moisture content, 90 °C for 12 h) and microwave (35% moisture content, 40 W/g microwaving for 4 min) treatment and zein (at a zein to treated starch ratio of 1:5, 50 °C for 1 h) to improve its resistance to enzymolysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) highlighted the aggregation and adhesion of the composite. The average particle size of the composite (27.65 μm) was exceeded that of both the HACS (12.52 μm) and the hydrothermal and microwave treated HACS (hydro-micro-HACS) (12.68 μm). The X-ray diffraction results revealed that the hydro-micro-HACS and composite remained B-type, while their crystallinity significantly decreased to 16.98% and 12.11%, respectively. The viscosity of the hydro-micro-HACS and composite at 50 °C was 25.41% and 35.36% lower than that of HACS. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results demonstrated that the composite displayed a new endothermic peak at 95.79 °C, while the weight loss rate and decomposition temperature were 7.61% and 2.39% lower than HACS, respectively. The RS content in HACS, the hydro-micro-HACS, and composite was 47.12%, 57.28%, and 62.74%, respectively. In conclusion, hydrothermal and microwave treatment combined with zein provide an efficient physical strategy to enhance the RS type 2-HACS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Colloidal Hydrogels)
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19 pages, 5698 KiB  
Article
Novel Fabrication of Zein-Soluble Soybean Polysaccharide Nanocomposites Induced by Multifrequency Ultrasound, and Their Roles on Microstructure, Rheological Properties and Stability of Pickering Emulsions
by Teng Song, Zhiyu Xiong, Tong Shi, Abdul Razak Monto, Li Yuan and Ruichang Gao
Gels 2021, 7(4), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels7040166 - 13 Oct 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2027
Abstract
In this work, soluble soybean polysaccharides (SSPS) were employed together with multifrequency ultrasound to fabricate zein nanocomposites which were conducive to enhancing the stability of high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). Compared with non-ultrasonic treated zein colloidal particle samples (132.23 ± 0.85 nm), the [...] Read more.
In this work, soluble soybean polysaccharides (SSPS) were employed together with multifrequency ultrasound to fabricate zein nanocomposites which were conducive to enhancing the stability of high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). Compared with non-ultrasonic treated zein colloidal particle samples (132.23 ± 0.85 nm), the zein nanoparticles samples induced by dual-frequency ultrasound exhibited a smaller particle size (114.54 ± 0.23 nm). Furthermore, the particle size of the zein composite nanoparticles (256.5 ± 4.81) remarkably increased with SPSS coating, consequently leading to larger fluorescence intensity together with lower zeta-potential (−21.90 ± 0.46 mv) and surface hydrophobicity (4992.15 ± 37.28). Meanwhile, zein-SSPS composite nanoparticles induced by DFU showed remarkably enhanced thermal stability. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy were also used to characterize zein-SSPS composite nanoparticles. The results confirmed that DFU combined with SSPS treatment significantly increased β-sheets (from 12.60% ± 0.25 b to 21.53% ± 0.37 c) and reduced α-helix content (34.83% ± 0.71 b to 23.86% ± 0.66 a) remarkably. Notably, HIPEs prepared from zein-SSPS nanocomposites induced by dual-frequency simultaneous ultrasound (DFU) at 40/60 kHz showed better storage stability. HIPEs stabilized by DFU induced zein-SSPS nanoparticles exhibited higher storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″), leading to lower fluidity, together with better stability contributing to the water-binding capacity and three-dimensional (3D) network structure of the HIPEs emulsion. The findings of this study indicate that this method can be utilized and integrated to further extend the application of zein and SSPS and explore HIPEs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Colloidal Hydrogels)
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