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Yang Y, Xiao Y, Wu X, Deng J, Wei R, Liu A, Chai H, Wang R. Microgel-Crosslinked Thermo-Responsive Hydrogel Actuators with High Mechanical Properties and Rapid Response. Macromol Rapid Commun 2024; 45:e2300643. [PMID: 38225681 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202300643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Smart hydrogels responsive to external stimuli are promising for various applications such as soft robotics and smart devices. High mechanical strength and fast response rate are particularly important for the construction of hydrogel actuators. Herein, tough hydrogels with rapid response rates are synthesized using vinyl-functionalized poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgels as macro-crosslinkers and N-isopropylacrylamide as monomers. The compression strength of the obtained PNIPAM hydrogels is up to 7.13 MPa. The response rate of the microgel-crosslinked hydrogels is significantly enhanced compared with conventional chemically crosslinked PNIPAM hydrogels. The mechanical strength and response rate of hydrogels can be adjusted by varying the proportion of monomers and crosslinkers. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the PNIPAM hydrogels could be tuned by copolymerizing with ionic monomer sodium methacrylate. Thermo-responsive bilayer hydrogels are fabricated using PINPAM hydrogels with different LCSTs via a layer-by-layer method. The thermo-responsive fast swelling and shrinking properties of the two layers endow the bilayer hydrogel with anisotropic structures and asymmetric response characteristics, allowing the hydrogel to respond rapidly. The bilayer hydrogels are fabricated into clamps to grab small objects and flowers that mimicked the closure of petals, and it shows great application prospects in the field of actuators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyu Yang
- Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, 315300, P. R. China
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo, 315300, P. R. China
| | - Ying Xiao
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo, 315300, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Wu
- Ningbo Medical Center Li Huili Hospital, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315000, P. R. China
| | - Junjie Deng
- Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, 315300, P. R. China
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo, 315300, P. R. China
| | - Rufang Wei
- Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, 315300, P. R. China
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo, 315300, P. R. China
| | - Ashuang Liu
- Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, 315300, P. R. China
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo, 315300, P. R. China
| | - Haiyang Chai
- Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, 315300, P. R. China
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo, 315300, P. R. China
| | - Rong Wang
- Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, 315300, P. R. China
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo, 315300, P. R. China
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Zeng M, Huang Z, Cen X, Zhao Y, Xu F, Miao J, Zhang Q, Wang R. Biomimetic Gradient Hydrogels with High Toughness and Antibacterial Properties. Gels 2023; 10:6. [PMID: 38275844 PMCID: PMC10815424 DOI: 10.3390/gels10010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Traditional hydrogels, as wound dressings, usually exhibit poor mechanical strength and slow drug release performance in clinical biomedical applications. Although various strategies have been investigated to address the above issues, it remains a challenge to develop a simple method for preparing hydrogels with both toughness and controlled drug release performance. In this study, a tannic acid-reinforced poly (sulfobetaine methacrylate) (TAPS) hydrogel was fabricated via free radical polymerization, and the TAPS hydrogel was subjected to a simple electrophoresis process to obtain the hydrogels with a gradient distribution of copper ions. These gradient hydrogels showed tunable mechanical properties by changing the electrophoresis time. When the electrophoresis time reached 15 min, the hydrogel had a tensile strength of 368.14 kPa, a tensile modulus of 16.17 kPa, and a compressive strength of 42.77 MPa. It could be loaded at 50% compressive strain and then unloaded for up to 70 cycles and maintained a constant compressive stress of 1.50 MPa. The controlled release of copper from different sides of the gradient hydrogels was observed. After 6 h of incubation, the hydrogel exhibited a strong bactericidal effect on Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli, with low toxicity to NIH/3T3 fibroblasts. The high toughness, controlled release of copper, and enhanced antimicrobial properties of the gradient hydrogels make them excellent candidates for wound dressings in biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhu Zeng
- Institute of Smart Biomedical Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo 315300, China
| | - Zhimao Huang
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo 315300, China
| | - Xiao Cen
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo 315300, China
| | - Yinyu Zhao
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo 315300, China
| | - Fei Xu
- Institute of Smart Biomedical Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Jiru Miao
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo 315300, China
| | - Quan Zhang
- Institute of Smart Biomedical Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Zhejiang International Scientific and Technological Cooperative Base of Biomedical Materials and Technology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo 315300, China
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