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Article
Recent developments in tough hydrogels for biomedical applications
Gels
  • Yuan Liu, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Weilue He, FM Wound Care
  • Zhongtian Zhang, Michigan Technological University
  • Bruce P. Lee, Michigan Technological University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-22-2018
Abstract

A hydrogel is a three-dimensional polymer network with high water content and has been attractive for many biomedical applications due to its excellent biocompatibility. However, classic hydrogels are mechanically weak and unsuitable for most physiological load-bearing situations. Thus, the development of tough hydrogels used in the biomedical field becomes critical. This work reviews various strategies to fabricate tough hydrogels with the introduction of non-covalent bonds and the construction of stretchable polymer networks and interpenetrated networks, such as the so-called double-network hydrogel. Additionally, the design of tough hydrogels for tissue adhesive, tissue engineering, and soft actuators is reviewed.

Publisher's Statement
© 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Article deposited here in compliance with publisher policy. Publisher's version of record: https://doi.org/10.3390/gels4020046
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
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Publisher's PDF
Citation Information
Yuan Liu, Weilue He, Zhongtian Zhang and Bruce P. Lee. "Recent developments in tough hydrogels for biomedical applications" Gels Vol. 4 Iss. 2 (2018)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/bruce-lee/50/