Fundamentals and Advances in Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels and Their Applications: A Review
This review summarizes the fundamental concepts, recent advancements, and emerging trends in the field of stimuli-responsive hydrogels. While numerous reviews exist on this topic, the field continues to evolve dynamically, and certain research directions are often overlooked. To address this, we cla...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Gels |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/1/30 |
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| author | Iryna S. Protsak Yevhenii M. Morozov |
| author_facet | Iryna S. Protsak Yevhenii M. Morozov |
| author_sort | Iryna S. Protsak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This review summarizes the fundamental concepts, recent advancements, and emerging trends in the field of stimuli-responsive hydrogels. While numerous reviews exist on this topic, the field continues to evolve dynamically, and certain research directions are often overlooked. To address this, we classify stimuli-responsive hydrogels based on their response mechanisms and provide an in-depth discussion of key properties and mechanisms, including swelling kinetics, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility/biodegradability. We then explore hydrogel design, synthesis, and structural engineering, followed by an overview of applications that are relatively well established from a scientific perspective, including biomedical uses (biosensing, drug delivery, wound healing, and tissue engineering), environmental applications (heavy metal and phosphate removal from the environment and polluted water), and soft robotics and actuation. Additionally, we highlight emerging and unconventional applications such as local micro-thermometers and cell mechanotransduction. This review concludes with a discussion of current challenges and future prospects in the field, aiming to inspire further innovations and advancements in stimuli-responsive hydrogel research and applications to bring them closer to the societal needs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0076a22c58dc426f92fc5b7f0c713afd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj-art-0076a22c58dc426f92fc5b7f0c713afd2025-01-24T13:33:50ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612025-01-011113010.3390/gels11010030Fundamentals and Advances in Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels and Their Applications: A ReviewIryna S. Protsak0Yevhenii M. Morozov1Department of Functional Materials and Catalysis, University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 42, 1090 Vienna, AustriaAIT-Austrian Institute of Technology, Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Vienna, AustriaThis review summarizes the fundamental concepts, recent advancements, and emerging trends in the field of stimuli-responsive hydrogels. While numerous reviews exist on this topic, the field continues to evolve dynamically, and certain research directions are often overlooked. To address this, we classify stimuli-responsive hydrogels based on their response mechanisms and provide an in-depth discussion of key properties and mechanisms, including swelling kinetics, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility/biodegradability. We then explore hydrogel design, synthesis, and structural engineering, followed by an overview of applications that are relatively well established from a scientific perspective, including biomedical uses (biosensing, drug delivery, wound healing, and tissue engineering), environmental applications (heavy metal and phosphate removal from the environment and polluted water), and soft robotics and actuation. Additionally, we highlight emerging and unconventional applications such as local micro-thermometers and cell mechanotransduction. This review concludes with a discussion of current challenges and future prospects in the field, aiming to inspire further innovations and advancements in stimuli-responsive hydrogel research and applications to bring them closer to the societal needs.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/1/30hydrogelsstimuli-responsive hydrogelsmechanical propertiesswelling kineticsbiocompatibilitybiodegradability |
| spellingShingle | Iryna S. Protsak Yevhenii M. Morozov Fundamentals and Advances in Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels and Their Applications: A Review Gels hydrogels stimuli-responsive hydrogels mechanical properties swelling kinetics biocompatibility biodegradability |
| title | Fundamentals and Advances in Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels and Their Applications: A Review |
| title_full | Fundamentals and Advances in Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels and Their Applications: A Review |
| title_fullStr | Fundamentals and Advances in Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels and Their Applications: A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fundamentals and Advances in Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels and Their Applications: A Review |
| title_short | Fundamentals and Advances in Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels and Their Applications: A Review |
| title_sort | fundamentals and advances in stimuli responsive hydrogels and their applications a review |
| topic | hydrogels stimuli-responsive hydrogels mechanical properties swelling kinetics biocompatibility biodegradability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/1/30 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT irynasprotsak fundamentalsandadvancesinstimuliresponsivehydrogelsandtheirapplicationsareview AT yevheniimmorozov fundamentalsandadvancesinstimuliresponsivehydrogelsandtheirapplicationsareview |