Research Progress in Polymer Hydrogels

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 12039

Special Issue Editors

Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Cracow University of Technology, 24 Warszawska St., 31155 Cracow, Poland
Interests: bio-hybrid hydrogels; advanced polymeric materials; polymeric biomaterials; biopolymers; drug delivery systems; natural and synthetic active substances; nanocarriers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, Cracow University of Technology, ul. Warszawska 24, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Interests: bio-based polymers; polymeric materials; polymerization reaction; material characterization
Department of Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, Cracow University of Technology, ul. Warszawska 24, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Interests: organic–inorganic hybrid materials and nanocomposites; stimuli-responsive polymers; glass transition; molecular dynamics; mechanical properties
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogels are hydrophilic three-dimensional networks, which can absorb a large amount of water and other fluids reversibly and are characterized by non-toxicity, biocompatibility, and good chemical resistance. Currently, they constitute a well-known group of polymeric materials for medical, bio-medical, and dermatological applications. The main aim of this Special Issue is the indication of new application possibilities for modified polymer hydrogels, especially as drug-delivery systems and modern wound dressings. Additionally, we would like to focus on the different systems based on polymeric, organic, and inorganic micro/nanocarriers or their combination with biopolymeric, polymeric, or hydrogel matrixes, which enables controlled, sustained, or modified release of active substances derived from natural or synthetic origin. We also invite scientists who are developing new methods of synthesis and cross-linking reactions, which allows the obtaining of hydrogel materials with interesting physicochemical, structural, and mechanical properties. Fundamental studies on water–polymer interactions and polymer dynamics are also within the scope of this topic. This Special Issue will facilitate the sharing of achieved goals and new approaches towards designing polymer hydrogels.

Dr. Katarzyna Bialik-Wąs
Dr. Anna Sienkiewicz
Dr. Konstantinos N. Raftopoulos
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

  • advanced materials
  • bio-hybrid hydrogels
  • drug delivery systems
  • cytotoxicity assays
  • biocompatibility
  • biodegradability
  • in vitro and 3d models
  • cross-linking structures
  • medical, bio-medical and dermatological applications
  • wound dressings
  • plasticization

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 6181 KiB  
Article
Improving Mechanical Properties of Starch-Based Hydrogels Using Double Network Strategy
by Jiradet Sringam, Porntipa Pankongadisak, Tatiya Trongsatitkul and Nitinat Suppakarn
Polymers 2022, 14(17), 3552; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14173552 - 29 Aug 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2898
Abstract
This work aims to improve the mechanical properties of starch-based hydrogels using a double-network (DN) strategy. The single network (SN) starch hydrogel was first prepared using glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker. The compressive properties of the SN hydrogels were influenced by both crosslinker content [...] Read more.
This work aims to improve the mechanical properties of starch-based hydrogels using a double-network (DN) strategy. The single network (SN) starch hydrogel was first prepared using glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker. The compressive properties of the SN hydrogels were influenced by both crosslinker content and crosslinking time. The SN starch hydrogel possessing the best mechanical properties was then fabricated into DN hydrogels. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and borax were used as a secondary polymer and a crosslinker, respectively. The PVA–borax complexation partly enhanced the DN hydrogel’s compressive modulus by 30% and its toughness by 39%. DN hydrogels were found to have denser microstructures than SN hydrogels. To be specific, their walls thickened and grew more continuous while their pores shrank. The increased crosslinking density resulted in changes to the microstructure, which were well correlated with their porosity and water uptake capacity. An in vitro cytotoxicity test of the DN hydrogels revealed that they were non-toxic to chondrocytes. This work demonstrated that double networking is a simple but effective strategy for improving mechanical properties of starch-based hydrogels without sacrificing their biocompatibility. This approach can be used to tailor hydrogel properties to fulfill requirements for biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering and other related fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress in Polymer Hydrogels)
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32 pages, 1904 KiB  
Review
Preparation and Characteristics of Alginate Microparticles for Food, Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Applications
by Anna Łętocha, Małgorzata Miastkowska and Elżbieta Sikora
Polymers 2022, 14(18), 3834; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14183834 - 14 Sep 2022
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 8663
Abstract
Alginates are the most widely used natural polymers in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. Usually, they are applied as a thickening, gel-forming and stabilizing agent. Moreover, the alginate-based formulations such as matrices, membranes, nanospheres or microcapsules are often used as delivery systems. [...] Read more.
Alginates are the most widely used natural polymers in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. Usually, they are applied as a thickening, gel-forming and stabilizing agent. Moreover, the alginate-based formulations such as matrices, membranes, nanospheres or microcapsules are often used as delivery systems. Alginate microparticles (AMP) are biocompatible, biodegradable and nontoxic carriers, applied to encapsulate hydrophilic active substances, including probiotics. Here, we report the methods most frequently used for AMP production and encapsulation of different actives. The technological parameters important in the process of AMP preparation, such as alginate concentration, the type and concentration of other reagents (cross-linking agents, oils, emulsifiers and pH regulators), agitation speed or cross-linking time, are reviewed. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of alginate microparticles as delivery systems are discussed, and an overview of the active ingredients enclosed in the alginate carriers are presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress in Polymer Hydrogels)
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