Perspectives for the mechanical manipulation of hybrid hydrogels

Abstract

Significant advances in the field of responsive hydrogels have been achieved by the combination of soft, gel-based matrices with the unique functions of inorganic or biological nanostructures. Like in many biological tissues, the components of such hybrid materials often have converse, yet complementary properties. The possibility of forming self-assembled and supramolecular morphologies from organic polymers in combination with inorganic nanoparticles or biological motifs is of interest for gels with new response properties. A variety of complex gel structures with unique chemical, physical, and biological properties have been engineered or discovered at the nanoscale. In this review, we highlight recent accomplishments and trends in the field of hybrid polymer hydrogels with a focus on approaches towards soft, yet tough shape-changing and actuating materials. We conclude with an outline on future directions and challenges that have to be faced in the design and application of hybrid hydrogels.

Magnetic and geometric anisotropy in particle-crosslinked ferrohydrogels

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Magnetic nanoparticulate probes have recently been proven useful in supplying information on the specific particle environment using quasi-static [8][9][10] or dynamic [11][12][13] magnetic methods. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Magnetic nanoparticulate probes have recently been proven useful in supplying information on the specific particle environment using quasi-static [8][9][10] or dynamic [11][12][13] magnetic methods.…”

Applications of Smart Wormlike Micelles

“…The last decade or so has witnessed an upsurge of "smart" hydrogels in the biomedical field [1,3,[9][10][11]. Hydrogels are appealing because of their high water content and nanoscale structure, reminiscent of natural tissues such as the extracellular matrix, thus providing a positive environment for the growth of cells in tissue engineering applications [12], while responsive hydrogel swelling can be conveniently exploited as a mechanism for drug release.…”

Swelling ofpH-sensitive hydrogels

“…Although studies on swelling of polyelectrolyte gels have a long history, they have recently became a focus of attention, as these materials demonstrate the potential for a wide range of "smart" applications including biomedical devices, drug delivery carriers, scaffolds for tissue engineering, filters and membranes for selective diffusion, sensors for online process monitoring, soft actuators, and optical systems [5][6][7][8].…”