ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
·
2022
·
IF 10.383
Mingming Hao,Yongfeng Wang,Lianhui Li,Yinhang Liu,Yuanyuan Bai,Weifan Zhou,Qifeng Lu,Fuqin Sun,Lili Li,Simin Feng,Wei Wei,Ting Zhang
Articular cartilage, which exhibits toughness and ultralow friction even under high squeezing pressures, plays an important role in the daily movement of joints. However, joint soft tissue lesions or injuries caused by diseases, trauma, or human functional decline are inevitable. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels, which have a water content and compressive strength similar to those of many tissues and organs, have the potential to replace tough connective tissues, including cartilage. However, currently, PVA hydrogels are not suitable for complex dynamic environments and lack rebound resilience, especially under long-term or multicycle mechanical loads. Inspired by biological tissues that exhibit increased mechanical strength after swelling, we report a tough engineered hydrogel (TEHy) fabricated by swelling and freeze–thaw methods with a high compressive strength (31 MPa), high toughness (1.17 MJ m–3), a low friction coefficient (0.01), and a low energy loss factor (0.22). Notably, the TEHy remained remarkably resilient after 100 000 cycles of contact extrusion and remains intact after being compressed by an automobile with a weight of approximately 1600 kg. The TEHy also exhibited excellent water swelling resistance (volume and weight changes less than 5%). Moreover, skeletal muscle cells were able to readily attach and proliferate on the surface of TEHy-6, suggesting its outstanding biocompatibility. Overall, this swelling and freeze–thaw strategy solves the antifatigue and stability problems of PVA hydrogels under large static loads (>10 000 N) and provides an avenue to fabricate engineering hydrogels with strong antifatigue and antiswelling properties and ultralow friction for potential use as biomaterials in tissue engineering.
研究领域:
生物医学工程
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材料科学
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组织工程
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
·
2025
·
IF 5.4
Yuefei Ding,Zixuan Lian,Hangyang Liu,Hengyi Cheng,Dan Yu,Wei Wang
The application of electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring in complex environments—such as underwater or under heavy perspiration—remains challenging due to interfacial instability and signal degradation in conventional electrodes. Developing flexible, environment-adaptive materials with cross-media compatibility is crucial for advancing wearable and subaquatic medical devices. Here, we report a novel strategy using aqueous PEDOT dispersion-induced phase separation to fabricate conductive hydrogels with robust underwater functionality. The resulting biphasic structure exhibits exceptional stretchability (up to 2500 % tensile strain), strong adhesion (40 kPa underwater), and intrinsic conductivity (16.7 S/m), without post-processing. These hydrogels maintain stable performance across air–water interfaces, enabling high-fidelity biopotential recording even in liquid environments. Demonstrated as ECG electrodes, they deliver clinical-grade signal quality underwater and resist interference from sweat during physical activity. This one-step fabrication method supports scalable, cost-effective production, facilitating integration into diving gear and marine protective suits. The material’s dual adaptability to both wet and dry conditions opens new pathways for reliable biosignal monitoring in extreme environments. These findings represent a significant step toward industrial deployment of hydrogel-based soft electronics in aquatic healthcare and sports physiology applications.
研究领域:
生物医学工程
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材料科学
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电子皮肤
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DOI
高影响因子
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
·
2024
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IF 13.3
Yuanming Ye,Jun Guo,An Wang,Chengxiang Zheng,Tao Wu,Zhipeng Chen,Xuanqi Wang,Yichen Chu,Ruiyu Bai,Zekai Liang,Honglong Chang,Kai Tao,Tengjiao Wang,Bowen Ji
Underwater surface electromyography (UW-sEMG) acquisition with long-term high quality is crucial to underwater activities, including rehabilitation, fatigue measurement, and sports monitoring. However, most UW-sEMG electrodes suffer significant performance decline, especially for hydrogel electrodes, due to the swelling-induced mechanical, electrical, and adhesive degradation. Maintaining high performance underwater over extended periods is challenging. The controlled underwater adhesion-detachment behavior of starfish is inspirative. Here, a starfish tube feet-inspired hydrogel (STFH) electrode is developed for UW-sEMG recording, including a micro-swelling hydrogel pillar, a biomimetic silicone sucker, and an Ag/AgCl disc electrode. By soaking freeze-dried hydrophilic hydrogel in tannic acid (TA) solution, the hydrogel exhibits skin-like modulus of 22.4 kPa, low skin impedance of 18.3 kΩ (10 Hz) and low equilibrium swelling ratio. Unlike traditional strategies for improving anti-swelling properties, this work leverages the interaction between the sucker and the swollen hydrogel to promote conformal contact. Consequently, the sEMG signal exhibits SNR of 26.7 dB and baseline noise of 12.8 μV even after 60 min of underwater working. The STFH electrode also shows anti-noise capability to resist skin vibration and wave oscillation. This STFH electrode enables durable UW-sEMG acquisition, which could further extend from the arm to the wrist to adapt wearing habits.
研究领域:
生物医学工程
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材料科学
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神经工程
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DOI
高影响因子
ADVANCED MATERIALS
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2022
·Vol. 34
·期 20
·2200115
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IF 32.086
Jing Wu,Zhao Pan,Zheng-Yi Zhao,Mo-Han Wang,Liang Dong,Huai-Ling Gao,Chong-Yuan Liu,Pu Zhou,Lu Chen,Chao-Ji Shi,Zhi-Yuan Zhang,Chi Yang,Shu-Hong Yu,Duo-Hong Zou
Due to the wet and dynamic environment of the oral cavity, the healing of intraoral wounds, such as tooth extraction wounds, requires stable and firm wound dressings. In clinical practice, cotton balls and gauze s, sponge plugs, or sutures are used to treat extraction wounds, but none of these means can continuously isolate the wound from the intraoral environment and facilitate ideal healing conditions. Herein, inspired by the natural extracellular matrix, a family of wound dressings is developed for intraoral wound repair. Infiltrating a ductile long-chain hydrogel network into a prefabricated, sturdy macromolecular meshwork and in situ crosslinking endowed the composite hydrogel with controllable swelling behaviors and robust mechanical properties. The macromolecular meshwork functioned as the backbone to support the composite and restricts the swelling of the long-chain hydrogel network. In vitro tests verified that this wound dressing can provide durable protection for intraoral wounds against complex irritations. Furthermore, accelerated wound healing occurred when the wound dressing is applied in vivo on a canine tooth extraction model, due to the effective reduction of acute inflammation. These results suggest that this family of bioinspired hydrogels has great potential for application as intraoral wound dressing.
研究领域:
生物材料学
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口腔医学
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组织工程学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Science China-Technological Sciences
·
2025
·Vol. 68
·期 6
·1-16
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IF 4.9
Yang Xuxuan,Zhang Qian,Nie Xiongfeng,Xu Ziyang,Liu Wenguang
The development of a meniscal substitute that conforms to the stringent requirements of high modulus, antiswelling, and shape compatibility continues to pose a significant challenge. Herein, the polycarbonate-based polyurethane (PCU) with a covalent adaptive network is constructed by introducing the Diels-Alder (DA) bonds into the hard segments of PCU as the dynamic covalent cross-linkage. On the one hand, the stability of DA bonds at low temperatures enables them to lock molecular chains within the hard domain in an aqueous environment, thus maintaining the high robustness of the resultant elastomer under physiological conditions. On the other hand, the incorporated DA bonds can be disrupted at high temperatures, facilitating the movement of the molecular chains through heating, thus allowing for the three-dimensional (3D) printing of the meniscus scaffold whose shape closely resembles that of the native tissue. The fabricated meniscus substitute is surgically implanted into the knee joints of rabbits for 12 weeks, with in-vivo outcomes illustratively showcasing its remarkable proficiency in mitigating cartilage surface degradation.
研究领域:
生物材料学
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组织工程
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再生医学
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DOI
高影响因子
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
·
2025
·
IF 13.2
Xiaolei Guo,Lin Yang,Nan Sheng,Xirui Long,Zhen Li,Feng Luo,Jiehua Li,Hong Tan
Oral ulcers severely affect the patient’s mood, diet, and language activities and are mainly treated by topical administration of a patch. However, the currently commercially available patches have a limited treatment effect because of the short action time in the oral cavity. In this study, we present a novel adhesive patch made from trifunctional polycaprolactone crosslinked waterborne polyurethane (CDCPU) loaded with curcumin for treating oral ulcers. The long-chain triol cross-linking points in the polyurethane can limit water entry, while stabilizing the curcumin loading in the emulsion. Meanwhile, the interaction between curcumin and polyurethane improved the anti-swelling (swelling rate of 37.7 ± 4.9 %), water resistance (water absorption rate of 66.6 ± 5.6 %), and mechanical properties of the patch. The adhesion strength of the CDCPU patch to porcine oral mucosa and skin was 11.3 ± 1.7 kPa and 14.7 ± 2.5 kPa, respectively. The addition of curcumin provides the CDCPU patch with effective antibacterial and antioxidant functions. Moreover, the CDCPU patch was effective in promoting mucosal epithelialization and ulcer healing in a rat oral ulcer model. The development of this adhesive patch provides a new strategy for the treatment of oral ulcers.
研究领域:
材料科学
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药剂学
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生物医学工程
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牙科学
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产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
MACROMOLECULES
·
2024
·
IF 5.1
Penghui Xia,Wanqi Zhang,Chaoyi Peng,Hanfeng Yin,Dan Michelle Wang,Jun Yang,Rocky S. Tuan,Lei Jiang,Jianfeng Wang
Natural hydrogels, such as cartilage, have a multiscale hierarchical structure composed of multiple modulus-contrasting building blocks, bringing about their extraordinary mechanical properties. Conventional tough engineering hydrogels, such as Double Network (DN) hydrogel, lack cartilage’s high-order aggregated structure across multiple length scales, although they have a molecular composition similar to cartilage. This work focuses on high-order architecture in DN hydrogels through superimposing microphase separation and nanocrystalline domains in interpenetrating molecular networks of stiff chitosan and soft poly(vinyl alcohol) by using freezing-thawing-assisted alkali out. The constructed High-order Double Network (HDN) architecture has a molecular composition identical to initial interpenetrating molecular networks but exhibits hierarchical multiscale discrepancies, including bicontinuous phase at microscale, nanocrystalline domains at nanoscale, and polymer chain packing at subnanoscale. We find that these structural differences are strongly correlated with the macroscopic properties of the hydrogel, such as turbidity, stiffness, strength, and toughness. We reveal the stepwise multiscale fracture mechanism of the HDN architecture that leads to a highly synergistic toughening effect. The HDN hydrogel also exhibits excellent multifunctional properties, including antiswelling, durability, biocompatibility, antibacterial activity, degradability, and plasticity. We believe that the high-order architecture presented in this work would shed new light on the future development of high-performance DN hydrogels that approximate natural hydrogels.
研究领域:
材料科学
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生物医学工程
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高分子化学
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产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER
·
2025
·
IF 4.5
Hechuan Zhang,Ruigang Zhou,Jing Wen,Haiyang Gao,Yongchuan Wu,Haidi Wu,Yuqing Wang,Huaiguo Xue,Jiefeng Gao
Hydrogels with intriguing properties have shown promising applications in biological tissues. However, their mechanical properties are still unsatisfactory at a relatively high water content, while the poor swelling resistance severely limits their applications in underwater environment and human body fluids. Here we propose a solvent exchange assisted phase separation strategy to prepare strong and tough composite hydrogels with excellent swelling resistance. During the solvent exchange process, Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) macromolecules are aggregated and further physically crosslinked, whereas thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) macromolecules are in-situ phase-separated in the form of rigid yet extensible microspheres with strong interfacial interaction with PVA. TPU reinforced hydrogels (PURHs) show a relatively high water content of ∼80 %, and their tensile strength, fracture strain, fracture energy and fatigue threshold can reach as high as 1.51 MPa, 638.2 %, 1896.4 J/m 2 and 515.8 J/m 2 , respectively. Benefiting from the increased crystallinity and the hydrophobicity of the PU, PURH exhibits excellent anti-swelling performance and the retention rate of its mechanical properties is kept at ∼90 % even after immersion in water for 30 days. PURHs are also biocompatible and can promote cell migration. This study provides a new method for preparation of strong and anti-swelling hydrogels that achieve trade-off between high mechanical properties and water content.
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DOI
高影响因子
Nano Today
·
2023
·
IF 17.4
Yuqing Liang,Huiru Xu,Qian Han,Meiguang Xu,Jiaodi Zhang,Jiaxin Wang,Xiaofei Liu,Zhanhai Yin,Baolin Guo
Achieving instant adhesion on wet tissues and preventing the concurrently occurred postoperative tissue adhesion remain tough challenges but urgently demanded. And the deteriorated cohesion and adhesion caused by undesired swelling of hydrogel could not be ignored. Herein, we developed a Janus hydrogel with instant wet adhesion and anti-swelling behavior, based on poly (acrylic acid) (PAA), gelatin (GT) and hyperbranched polymers modified with catechol (HBPC). The asymmetric structure is achieved through complexed one-side of the hydrogel with cationic polymers. The strong physical interaction between PAA and GT formed during immersing in water enhanced the mechanical strength of the gels. And the hydrogel exhibits good anti-swelling behavior, which circumvents the limitations of conventional hydrogel caused by swelling. Water drainage induced by hydrophobic component and the following removal of water residuals achieved by hydrophilic PAA synergistically enhanced the instant wet adhesion of the hydrogel. Besides, pH-responsive protonation of carboxyl groups in PAA equipped the adhesive with extreme acid-tolerance. The in vivo evaluation results demonstrated that the asymmetric adhesive hydrogel could promote the repair of gastric perforation while reducing the risk of postoperative tissue adhesion. The hydrogel with asymmetric wet adhesion might provide valuable insights into the establishment of bioadhesives for gastric sealing and repair.
研究领域:
生物材料学
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医学工程
·
外科修复
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产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
Advanced Healthcare Materials
·
2024
·
IF 10
Siyu Li,Lunhao Zhi,Qin Chen,Weifeng Zhao,Changsheng Zhao
Oral wound treatment faces challenges due to the complex oral environment, thus, sealing the wound quickly becomes necessary. Although some materials have achieved adhesion and sterilization, how to effectively solve the contradiction between strong adhesion and on-demand removal remains a challenge. Herein, a reversibly adhesive hydrogel is designed by free radical copolymerization of cationic monomer [2-(acryloyloxy) ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride (ATAC), hydrophobic monomer ethylene glycol phenyl ether acrylate (PEA) and N -isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm). The cationic quaternary ammonium salts provide electrostatic interactions, the hydrophobic groups provide hydrophobic interactions, and the PNIPAAm chain segments provide hydrogen bonding, leading to strong adhesion. Therefore, the hydrogel obtains an adhesion strength of 18.67 KPa to oral mucosa and can seal wounds fast within 10 s. Furthermore, unlike pure PNIPAAm, the hydrogel has a lower critical solution temperature of 40.3 °C due to the contribution of ATAC and PEA, enabling rapid removal with 40 °C water after treatment. In addition, the hydrogel realizes excellent anti-swelling ratio (≈80%) and antibacterial efficiency (over 90%). Animal experiments prove that the hydrogel effectively reduces inflammation infiltration, promotes collagen deposition and vascular regeneration. Thus, hydrogel as a multi-functional dressing has great application prospects in oral wound management.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
生物材料
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伤口愈合
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牙科科学
·
生物医学工程
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Advanced Healthcare Materials
·
2023
·Vol. 12
·期 18
·2203236
·
IF 10
Guocheng Ding,Yangyang He,Yuanyuan Shi,Maihemuti Maimaitimin,Xin Zhang,Hongjie Huang,Wei Huang,Ran Yu,Jianquan Wang
Osteoarthritis is a serious disease affecting joint cartilage. Owing to poor blood supply, the meniscus and acetabular labrum of joints heal poorly after injury. However, the development of artificial alternatives to these components that have similar mechanical properties and cartilage-protection ability is challenging. In this study, a strong hydrogel with a biomimetic microstructure is prepared with an emulsion-type photosensitive resin, where both hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers, photo-initiator, and drugs can be adopted. In this system, the hydrophobic monomer forms uniformly dispersed aggregates after curing, improving the mechanical properties of the hydrogel significantly. Furthermore, the coordination bonds between nontoxic Zr 4+ cations and sulfonic acid groups prevent hydrogel swelling. In addition, the water–oil biphasic hydrogel ink enables the loading of water- and lipid-soluble drugs, yielding hydrogel scaffolds with sustained dual-drug release ability. Crucially, hydrogel scaffolds having excellent mechanical properties, low swelling, and sustained biphasic drug release ability can be prepared using digital light processing 3D printing technology, owing to the high curing rate of the hydrophobic photo-initiator. These hydrogel scaffolds are applied as meniscal and labral replacements in a porcine model and show great promise for the prevention of secondary osteoarthritis, demonstrating the broad potential clinical applications of this material.
研究领域:
生物医学工程
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组织工程
·
骨科
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材料科学
·
3D打印
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Materials Advances
·
2024
·
IF 5.2
Tianyue Zhang,Hongyi Lv,Yijing Zhang,Lingyun Yu,Yonghong Li,Hechun Yan,Chenyan He,Dongmei Zhao,Lijuan Zhao,Yuedong He,Yi Wang,Zhongyi Zhu
In both clinical and research settings, the rapid healing of vaginal injuries remains a significant challenge globally. Conventional treatment methods often involve extended recovery periods and increased risk of retrograde infections, causing significant pain and discomfort for patients. To address this issue, a mechanically robust and stable poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)/alginate hydrogel loaded with estrogen has been developed to facilitate vaginal wound repair. This hydrogel is formed by an ionically crosslinked alginate network and a covalently crosslinked PHEMA network, which effectively enhances network strength and dissipates energy, leading to excellent fatigue resistance and anti-swelling behavior. Its exceptional mechanical stability and anti-swelling properties prevent local adhesions and mucosal ischemic necrosis. Additionally, the hydrogel sustains the release of estradiol, promoting vaginal epithelial proliferation and collagen deposition, thereby significantly accelerating vaginal injury healing. Furthermore, the hydrogel eliminates the need for frequent dressing changes, reducing the risk of retrograde infections. The hydrogel demonstrates outstanding biocompatibility both in vitro and in vivo. These combined advantages enable the hydrogel to reduce vaginal recovery time, prevent adhesions, and lower the risk of infection. Therefore, the estrogen-loaded PHEMA/alginate hydrogel demonstrates great potential for achieving satisfactory healing in cases of vaginal injury.
研究领域:
组织工程
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生物医学材料
·
伤口愈合
·
妇科学
·
药学
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产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）