Article
Polymer Science
Oleg Rud, Alexander D. Kazakov, Lucie Nova, Filip Uhlik
Summary: We model a process of seawater desalination that utilizes compression of a weak polyelectrolyte hydrogel for ion transfer. We demonstrate that the compression of the hydrogel creates two types of ion flow, exchange of divalent Ca2+ by monovalent Na+ and the desalination process itself. We also show that the compression of the gel is not affected by divalent ions due to significant screening of electrostatic interactions.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Raffaella De Piano, Diego Caccavo, Anna Angela Barba, Gaetano Lamberti
Summary: Polyelectrolyte hydrogels are a type of hydrogel whose behavior is influenced by changes in pH. Mathematical modeling has been widely used to understand their behavior, and in this study, a model based on a monophasic approach is used to describe the behavior of anionic hydrogels at pH 7 or lower. The model is validated by comparing it with experimental data and shows good agreement with the literature.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Xueyu Li, Feng Luo, Tao Lin Sun, Kunpeng Cui, Reina Watanabe, Tasuku Nakajima, Jian Ping Gong
Summary: Understanding the mechanical behaviors of tough hydrogels with dynamic bonds in saline solution is crucial for applications, especially in the biomedical field.
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Melissa L. Jagrosse, Pamela Agredo, Brittany L. Abraham, Ethan S. Toriki, Bradley L. Nilsson
Summary: Protein-based therapeutics have been recognized as the next generation of pharmaceutical agents for various diseases. However, their clinical application is hindered by challenges in delivery efficiency. Supramolecular hydrogels composed of self-assembled materials show potential in addressing these challenges, but cost is a drawback. In this study, low molecular weight hydrogels composed of modified amino acid derivatives are reported for the encapsulation and release of proteins, showing promising sustained and localized release properties.
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mengyuan Zhang, Yuxuan Yang, Meng Li, Qinghua Shang, Ruilin Xie, Jing Yu, Kaixiang Shen, Yanfeng Zhang, Yilong Cheng
Summary: The Hoffmeister effect of polyelectrolytes is found to significantly improve the mechanical performance of hydrogels, especially the double-network hydrogel. The mechanical properties of the hydrogels can be flexibly tuned by adjusting polyelectrolyte concentration, ionization degree, relative hydrophobicity, and polyelectrolyte type. Introducing urea bonds into the polyelectrolyte further enhances the mechanical properties and anti-swelling capability of the hydrogels. In a biomedical application, the advanced hydrogel effectively inhibits hernia formation and promotes tissue regeneration in an abdominal wall defect model.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Pingping Xu, Lulu Wang, Xiaokang Zhang, Jicheng Yan, Weizhi Liu
Summary: A novel protein, Sbp9, derived from scallop byssus, has been found to form a smart hydrogel with desirable properties in the biomedical field. The hydrogel showed tunable gelation time, mechanical properties, nonswelling abilities, and good biocompatibility, making it suitable for applications in tissue engineering and drug release.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Stephane Bernhard, Mark W. Tibbitt
Summary: Supramolecular binding motifs are increasingly utilized in the design of biomaterials, particularly in drug delivery systems. Rational engineering of specific associations enables injectable or sprayable hydrogels, achieving minimally invasive administration in drug delivery.
ADVANCED DRUG DELIVERY REVIEWS
(2021)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Wing-Fu Lai
Summary: Hydrogels are soft materials used for bioactive agent delivery, but their high water content often results in poor mechanical strength. Researchers are exploring the design of self-healing hydrogel carriers to minimize structural damage during the release of bioactive agents.
MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Flavia Zisi Tegou, Diana Velluto, Aaron A. Stock, Samantha N. Fitzgerald, Samuel Stealey, Silviya P. Zustiak, Allison L. Bayer, Alice A. Tomei
Summary: This study developed a polyethylene glycol hydrogel platform for sustained release of beta cell antigens and CCL21 immunomodulatory molecule, enabling the development of antigen-specific tolerance therapies for Type-I Diabetes.
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Oleg V. Rud, Jonas Landsgesell, Christian Holm, Peter Kosovan
Summary: Hydrogels immersed in salty solutions affect the ion partitioning and decrease the pH, which in turn diminishes the ionization degree of weak polyelectrolyte gels. This makes them less efficient in desalinating water with low salinity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Roger Chang, Martin Gruebele, Deborah E. Leckband
Summary: This study uses fast relaxation imaging to observe protein unfolding in situ in alginate gels and investigates the impact of gel concentration on protein stability and folding dynamics.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jiawei Li, Fangqi Chen, Xiaobo Lin, Tao Ding
Summary: The CMC-based hydrogel presented here has a hierarchical structure and strain hardening properties, with high failure stress and energy, as well as high recoverability in strain tests. Additionally, these hydrogels are electrically conductive, making them suitable for sensors and wearable electronic devices.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Katharina Achazi, Rainer Haag, Matthias Ballauff, Jens Dernedde, Jayachandran N. Kizhakkedathu, Dusica Maysinger, Gerd Multhaup
Summary: This review provides an overview of studies on the interaction of proteins with polyelectrolytes, highlighting counterion release as the main driving force for their binding. Research suggests a better understanding of charge-charge interactions in biologically relevant systems, which will aid in the design of synthetic polyelectrolytes for medical applications.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Liyuan Qiao, Chengde Liu, Cheng Liu, Lishuai Zong, Hongjian Gu, Chenghao Wang, Xigao Jian
Summary: By utilizing Schiff-base reaction and hydrogen bonding interaction, a self-healing, pH-sensitive, and shape memory hydrogel of PDAAc-A was successfully developed, showing significant improvements in mechanical properties and functionalities.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jun Zheng, Xianwen Song, Zhaoyu Yang, Yun Tan, Chao Yin, Jiafu Yin, Yufang Lu, Yufan Yang, Chuntai Liu, Lunzhao Yi, Yi Zhang
Summary: In this study, glycyrrhizic acid self-assembles into micellar hydrogels to encapsulate curcumin through non-covalent interactions. The resulting hydrogels exhibit shear-thinning, self-healing ability, and temperature-responsive behavior, with mechanical properties and release rates easily tunable by adjusting the concentration of glycyrrhizic acid. The micellar hydrogels show superior stability, biocompatibility, and antioxidant properties compared to free curcumin, benefiting from improved solubility and stability. In summary, this micellar hydrogel combines the advantages of both micelles and hydrogels, providing an innovative strategy for efficient curcumin delivery.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yan Huang, Yakov Lapitsky
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2017)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuhang Cai, Yakov Lapitsky
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2017)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shuyue Huang, Mengmeng Zhao, Mahesh B. Dawadi, Yuhang Cai, Yakov Lapitsky, David A. Modarelli, Nicole S. Zacharia
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2018)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Udaka K. de Silva, Kunal Choudhuri, Amanda C. Bryant- Friedrich, Yakov Lapitsky
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Udaka K. de Silva, Jennifer L. Brown, Yakov Lapitsky
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yuhang Cai, Yakov Lapitsky
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS AND BIOPHARMACEUTICS
(2019)
Article
Biophysics
Yuhang Cai, Yakov Lapitsky
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Claudia E. Echeverri-Cuartas, Carmina Gartner, Yakov Lapitsky
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sabrina S. Alam, Carolina B. Mather, Youngwoo Seo, Yakov Lapitsky
Summary: PAH/TPP coacervates allow for multi-month release of small, water-soluble molecules, such as anionic and cationic surfactants. The properties and performance of the coacervates in encapsulating and releasing cationic surfactants depend on the mixing order, concentration, and binding strength.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kunal Choudhuri, Joshua D. Bastian, Jeremiah T. Berger, Udaka K. de Silva, Yakov Lapitsky
Summary: Template polymerization is an effective technique for generating nanoparticles with tunable, narrowly dispersed sizes and high yields. In this study, sub-50-nm PEC nanoparticles were synthesized through one-step free-radical polymerization on a polycationic template. The resulting particles showed narrow size distributions and could be readily tuned by adjusting the parent solution concentration.
COLLOID AND POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Wesam A. A. Hatem, Yakov Lapitsky
Summary: Mechanical stimulation can accelerate the release of small molecules from complex coacervates and result in a deswelling effect. The mechanical activation effect is most pronounced in water and only subtle and short-lived in phosphate buffered saline.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Sabrina S. Alam, Youngwoo Seo, Yakov Lapitsky
ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS
(2020)
Article
Polymer Science
Andrew J. Worthen, Kelly S. Irving, Yakov Lapitsky
Article
Biophysics
Nader Sawtarie, Yuhang Cai, Yakov Lapitsky
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2017)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Kunal Choudhuri, Udaka K. de Silva, Vincent Huynh, Ryan G. Wylie, Yakov Lapitsky
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2018)