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Zhou T, Liu Z, Ma X, Cen C, Huang Z, Lu Y, Kong T, Qi C. Thermally-resilient, phase-invertible, ultra-stable all-aqueous compartments by pH-modulated protein colloidal particles. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 665:413-421. [PMID: 38537589 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.03.155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The essence of compartmentalization in cells is the inspiration behind the engineering of synthetic counterparts, which has emerged as a significant engineering theme. Here, we report the formation of ultra-stable water-in-water (W/W) emulsion droplets. These W/W droplets demonstrate previously unattained stability across a broad pH spectrum and exhibit resilience at temperatures up to 80℃, overcoming the challenge of insufficient robustness in dispersed droplets of aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS). The exceptional robustness is attributed to the strong anchoring of micelle-like casein colloidal particles at the PEO/DEX interface, which maintains stability under varying environmental conditions. The increased surface hydrophobicity of these particles at high temperatures contributes to the formation of thermally-stable droplets, enduring temperatures as high as 80℃. Furthermore, our study illustrates the adaptable affinity of micelle-like casein colloidal particles towards the PEO/DEX-rich phase, enabling the formation of stable DEX-in-PEO emulsions at lower pH levels, and PEO-in-DEX emulsions as the pH rises above the isoelectric point. The robust nature of these W/W emulsions unlocks new possibilities for exploring various biochemical reactions within synthetic subcellular modules and lays a solid foundation for the development of novel biomimetic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Zhou
- College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Zhou Liu
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Xudong Ma
- College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Chaofeng Cen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Zhangwei Huang
- College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Tiantian Kong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518000, China; Department of Urology, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518000, China.
| | - Cheng Qi
- College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Guangdong 518000, China.
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Zhang Y, Luo Y, Zhao J, Zheng W, Zhan J, Zheng H, Luo F. Emerging delivery systems based on aqueous two-phase systems: A review. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:110-132. [PMID: 38239237 PMCID: PMC10792979 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) is an all-aqueous system fabricated from two immiscible aqueous phases. It is spontaneously assembled through physical liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and can create suitable templates like the multicompartment of the intracellular environment. Delicate structures containing multiple compartments make it possible to endow materials with advanced functions. Due to the properties of ATPSs, ATPS-based drug delivery systems exhibit excellent biocompatibility, extraordinary loading efficiency, and intelligently controlled content release, which are particularly advantageous for delivering drugs in vivo . Therefore, we will systematically review and evaluate ATPSs as an ideal drug delivery system. Based on the basic mechanisms and influencing factors in forming ATPSs, the transformation of ATPSs into valuable biomaterials is described. Afterward, we concentrate on the most recent cutting-edge research on ATPS-based delivery systems. Finally, the potential for further collaborations between ATPS-based drug-carrying biomaterials and disease diagnosis and treatment is also explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaowen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yankun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jingqi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Wenzhuo Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jun Zhan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Huaping Zheng
- Department of Dermatology, Rare Diseases Center, Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Feng Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Department of Prosthodontics, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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Chen J, Guo J, Yang X, Nicolai T. Effect of adding gelatin on the stability of water in water emulsions formed by mixtures of amylopectin and guar gum. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2023; 232:113593. [PMID: 37862946 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2023.113593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Stable water in water (W/W) emulsions of guar rich droplets dispersed in an amylopectin rich continuous phase (G/A) and the inverse (A/G) can be achieved by adding gelatin and inducing microphase separation of the latter by cooling. In this research, the effect of gelatin on the emulsion stability was further studied by storing the emulsions at 10, 20 and 25 °C. The visual aspect, the microstructure, and the viscosity of the emulsions were investigated at different times during storage at different temperatures and pH. It was found that depending on the conditions, the gelatin phase wetted the interface or formed small discrete microdomains that adsorbed at the interface and dispersed in the bulk phases. The observed differences in morphology and stability are related to the interplay of the rates of aggregation, phase separation of gelatin, which itself depend on the gelatin concentration, temperature and pH. Emulsions could be prepared in this manner that were stable for at least one week and remained visually homogeneous. We believe that this is a promising method to stabilize W/W emulsions as long as the components of the emulsion are incompatible with aggregated gelatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiafeng Chen
- Dining and Tourism Academy, Guangdong Polytechnic of Science and Trade, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, PR China; Protein Research and Development Center, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat & Corn Further Processing, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, PR China; Le Mans Université, IMMM UMR-CNRS 6283, 72085 CEDEX 9 Le Mans, France.
| | - Jian Guo
- Protein Research and Development Center, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat & Corn Further Processing, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, PR China
| | - Xiaoquan Yang
- Protein Research and Development Center, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, National Engineering Laboratory of Wheat & Corn Further Processing, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, PR China
| | - Taco Nicolai
- Le Mans Université, IMMM UMR-CNRS 6283, 72085 CEDEX 9 Le Mans, France.
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Hu B, Zhao Y, Ye Z, Wang H. Water-in-Water Emulsions Stabilized by Silica Janus Nanosheets. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2206215. [PMID: 36670084 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Water-in-water (w/w) emulsions have been recognized for their broad applications in foods, cosmetics, and biomedical engineering. In this work, silica Janus nanosheets (JNs) with polyacrylic acid (PAA) chains grafted on one surface via crushing functional silica foams, and used silica JNs as Pickering stabilizer to produce stable water-in-water (w/w) emulsions from the aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) containing methacrylic acid (MAA) and NaCl are prepared. The interfacial area of w/w emulsions increases linearly with the concentration of silica JNs, and the interfacial coverage of nanosheets is calculated to be about 98%. After polymerizing w/w emulsions prepared from MAA/NaCl ATPS, it is found that silica JNs are entrapped at the interface of w/w emulsions with the smooth PAA-grafted surface located toward MAA-rich phase due to their specific interaction. These results show that functional silica JNs can be used as a promising amphiphilic Pickering stabilizer to produce well-defined w/w emulsions for numerous application fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bintao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, P. R. China
| | - Yongliang Zhao
- Shanghai Dilato Materials Company Limited, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
| | - Zhangfan Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, P. R. China
| | - Haitao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, P. R. China
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Daradmare S, Lee CS. Recent progress in the synthesis of all-aqueous two-phase droplets using microfluidic approaches. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2022; 219:112795. [PMID: 36049253 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
An aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) is a system with liquid-liquid phase separation and shows great potential for the extraction, separation, purification, and enrichment of proteins, membranes, viruses, enzymes, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules because of its simplicity, biocompatibility, and wide applicability [1-4]. The clear aqueous-aqueous interface of ATPSs is highly advantageous for their implementation, therefore making ATPSs a green alternative approach to replace conventional emulsion systems, such as water-in-oil droplets. All aqueous emulsions (water-in-water, w-in-w) hold great promise in the biomedical field as glucose sensors [5] and promising carriers for the encapsulation and release of various biomolecules and nonbiomolecules [6-10]. However, the ultralow interfacial tension between the two phases is a hurdle in generating w-in-w emulsion droplets. In the past, bulk emulsification and electrospray techniques were employed for the generation of w-in-w emulsion droplets and the fabrication of microparticles and microcapsules in the later stage. Bulk emulsification is a simple and low-cost technique; however, it generates polydisperse w-in-w emulsion droplets. Another technique, electrospray, involves easy experimental setups that can generate monodisperse but nonspherical w-in-w emulsion droplets. In comparison, microfluidic platforms provide monodisperse w-in-w emulsion droplets with spherical shapes, deal with the small volumes of solutions and short reaction times and achieve portability and versatility in their design through rapid prototyping. Owing to several advantages, microfluidic approaches have recently been introduced. To date, several different strategies have been explored to generate w-in-w emulsions and multiple w-in-w emulsions and to fabricate microparticles and microcapsules using conventional microfluidic devices. Although a few review articles on ATPSs emulsions have been published in the past, to date, few reviews have exclusively focused on the evolution of microfluidic-based ATPS droplets. The present review begins with a brief discussion of the history of ATPSs and their fundamentals, which is followed by an account chronicling the integration of microfluidic devices with ATPSs to generate w-in-w emulsion droplets. Furthermore, the stabilization strategies of w-in-w emulsion droplets and microfluidic fabrication of microparticles and microcapsules for modern applications, such as biomolecule encapsulation and spheroid construction, are discussed in detail in this review. We believe that the present review will provide useful information to not only new entrants in the microfluidic community wanting to appreciate the findings of the field but also existing researchers wanting to keep themselves updated on progress in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneha Daradmare
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Soo Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
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Cheng Q, Chen J, Wan C, Song Y, Huang C. Preparation of Janus Droplets and Hydrogels with Controllable Morphologies by an Aqueous Two-Phase System on the Superamphiphobic Surface. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:50434-50443. [PMID: 36300357 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c16704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Janus particles, having the property integration of each component, have attracted increasing attention due to their considerable potential in the field of material engineering applications. However, organic solvents or sophisticated equipment during the fabrication processes is generally inevitable. Here, we report a facile route to prepare Janus droplets and hydrogels via aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS). Simply merging two polymers, i.e., polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran (DEX), as aqueous droplets on a superamphiphobic surface leads to phase separation, provided that their concentrations exceed the threshold in the mixed aqueous droplets, thus generating a Janus structure. Various morphologies of such Janus droplets can be well controlled by manipulating the locations of these two polymers' concentration on the phase diagram, and the evolution of the mixed droplets are deterministic on the basis of the kinetics of their phase separation and the degree of hydrophobicity of the substrate. Introducing monomers and/or nanoparticles, further, into a certain phase of the ATPS droplet followed by photopolymerizing enables Janus hydrogel particles with diverse functionalities to be obtained. The ease and green techniques with which the Janus balance and curvature between two phases of the Janus droplet can be finely tuned point to new directions in designing Janus particles and hold great promises in biological engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanyong Cheng
- Key Lab of Materials Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingyi Chen
- Key Lab of Materials Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuchu Wan
- Key Lab of Materials Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhang Song
- Key Lab of Materials Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Caili Huang
- Key Lab of Materials Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
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Dang TT, Nguyen TKA, Bhamu KC, Mahvelati-Shamsabadi T, Van VKH, Shin EW, Chung KH, Hur SH, Choi WM, Kang SG, Chung JS. Engineering Holey Defects on 2D Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanosheets by Solvolysis in Organic Solvents. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c03523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thanh Truong Dang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan44610, Republic of Korea
| | - Thi Kim Anh Nguyen
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan44610, Republic of Korea
| | - K. C. Bhamu
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan44610, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Vo Kim Hieu Van
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan44610, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Woo Shin
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan44610, Republic of Korea
| | - Koo-Hyun Chung
- School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan44610, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hyun Hur
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan44610, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Mook Choi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan44610, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Gu Kang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan44610, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Suk Chung
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan44610, Republic of Korea
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Hu Z, Liu N, He P, Bai H, Hao L, Min J, Fan Z, Chen B, Niu R, Gong J. Green Synthesis of Carbon Nitride‐Based Conjugated Copolymer for Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline. Macromol Rapid Commun 2022; 43:e2200043. [DOI: 10.1002/marc.202200043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Hu
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage Ministry of Education Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials Semiconductor Chemistry Center Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430074 China
| | - Ning Liu
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage Ministry of Education Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials Semiconductor Chemistry Center Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430074 China
| | - Panpan He
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage Ministry of Education Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials Semiconductor Chemistry Center Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430074 China
| | - Huiying Bai
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage Ministry of Education Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials Semiconductor Chemistry Center Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430074 China
| | - Liang Hao
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage Ministry of Education Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials Semiconductor Chemistry Center Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430074 China
| | - Jiakang Min
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering National University of Singapore 9 Engineering Drive 1 Singapore 117576 Singapore
| | - Zifen Fan
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage Ministry of Education Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials Semiconductor Chemistry Center Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430074 China
| | - Bingyu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage Ministry of Education Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials Semiconductor Chemistry Center Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430074 China
| | - Ran Niu
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage Ministry of Education Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials Semiconductor Chemistry Center Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430074 China
| | - Jiang Gong
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage Ministry of Education Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials Semiconductor Chemistry Center Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430074 China
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Schmidt BVKJ. Multicompartment Hydrogels. Macromol Rapid Commun 2022; 43:e2100895. [PMID: 35092101 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202100895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Hydrogels belong to the most promising materials in polymer and materials science at the moment. As they feature soft and tissue-like character as well as high water-content, a broad range of applications are addressed with hydrogels, e.g. tissue engineering and wound dressings but also soft robotics, drug delivery, actuators and catalysis. Ways to tailor hydrogel properties are crosslinking mechanism, hydrogel shape and reinforcement, but new features can be introduced by variation of hydrogel composition as well, e.g. via monomer choice, functionalization or compartmentalization. Especially, multicompartment hydrogels drive progress towards complex and highly functional soft materials. In the present review the latest developments in multicompartment hydrogels are highlighted with a focus on three types of compartments, i.e. micellar/vesicular, droplets or multi-layers including various sub-categories. Furthermore, several morphologies of compartmentalized hydrogels and applications of multicompartment hydrogels will be discussed as well. Finally, an outlook towards future developments of the field will be given. The further development of multicompartment hydrogels is highly relevant for a broad range of applications and will have a significant impact on biomedicine and organic devices. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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