Thermoresponsive nanocomposite double network hydrogels

Acrylamide Polymer Double-Network Hydrogels

Background: In focal repair of joint cartilage and meniscus, initial stiffness and strength of repairs are generally much less than surrounding tissue. This increases early failure potential. Secure primary fixation of the repair material is also a problem. Acrylamide polymer double-network (DN) hydrogels are candidate-improved repair materials. DN gels have exceptional strength and toughness c...

Fatigue of double-network hydrogels

Graphene-containing thermoresponsive nanocomposite hydrogels of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) prepared by frontal polymerization

Frontal polymerization has been successfully used to synthesize poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) nanocomposite hydrogels containing graphene. The latter was directly achieved by ultrasound treatment of a dispersion of graphite inN-methylpyrrolidone. The dispersion, having the concentration of 2.21 g L , was characterized by TEM analysis and mixed with suitable amounts of N-isopropylacrylamide for th...

Yielding Criteria of Double Network Hydrogels

Double network (DN) gels, consisting of a brittle first and flexible second network, have been known to be extremely tough and functional hydrogels. In a DN gel subjected to force, the brittle first network breaks prior to the fracture of the flexible network. This process, referred to as internal fracture, dissipates energy and increases the energy required to completely fracture DN gels. Such...

Nanoengineered thermoresponsive magnetic hydrogels for biomedical applications

"Smart" hydrogels are part of an emerging class of biomaterials that respond to multiple external stimuli. A range of thermoresponsive magnetic hydrogels is currently being developed for on-demand delivery of biomolecules for a range of biomedical applications, including therapeutic drug delivery, bioimaging, and regenerative engineering. In this review article, we explore different types of ma...