Hydrogels

Polymeric hydrogels are versatile materials with a remarkable ability to retain large amounts of water while maintaining their structural integrity. These gel-like networks, composed of cross-linked polymers, find diverse applications across various fields, from biomedical uses such as drug delivery systems and tissue engineering to environmental applications like water purification. Their unique properties make them invaluable in creating materials that respond to stimuli, enabling innovations in responsive soft robotics, wound dressings, contact lenses, and beyond. Explore the incredible potential of polymeric hydrogels in shaping the future of science, technology, and industry.

Our laboratory is dedicated to enhancing the mechanical toughness and imbuing viscoelastic properties within our engineered hydrogels. Our primary focus is crafting and synthesizing novel crosslinking strategies tailored specifically for polymeric hydrogels, ensuring their compatibility and applicability in real-time scenarios. These advancements are particularly pivotal in soft materials applications, spanning tissue engineering, soft robotics, and energy-related fields.

Our pursuit involves pioneering the architecture and synthesis of innovative crosslinking agents meticulously designed to fortify polymeric hydrogels. We engage in functionalizing these materials by leveraging nanomaterials such as Graphene oxide, Carbon Dot, Cellulose, and Pectin. This functionalization facilitates the introduction of both chemical and physical bonds within the hydrogel structure, thereby endowing them with remarkable viscoelastic properties.

Our work has introduced a graphene oxide-based Nobel crosslinker responsible for multiple properties simultaneously, including mechanical toughness, adhesion, and self-healing properties.  

Graphene Oxide-based Crosslinker: 

Within the realm of conventional crosslinkers, a delicate balance exists between mechanical toughness and an array of other mechanical properties such as self-healing, adhesion, and swelling. This relationship often poses a challenge, necessitating compromise in one aspect to enhance another. However, our research group has made pioneering strides by introducing a groundbreaking crosslinker that effectively mitigates this trade-off. This innovative development marks a significant breakthrough as we have not only surmounted this issue but also achieved notable success, publishing two papers on this breakthrough. Additionally, several manuscripts are poised for submission, further underscoring the promising potential of our novel crosslinker in revolutionizing the landscape of material properties. This novel crosslinker promises to redefine the landscape of material properties, opening new vistas in the field of polymer chemistry.

Sources: 

1. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2020/ra/d0ra00678e 

2. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2022/ra/d2ra00122e 

3. https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20210029 

4. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/21/4539 

5. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=YGapEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA270&dq=info:r2lpIGhjXKgJ:scholar.google.com&ots=HvPjJcNLiA&sig=CYoYTw54u7uUgKANI_berTkIfvs#v=onepage&q&f=false 

Cellulose Crosslinked Hydrogels:

Join us in exploring the groundbreaking possibilities and advancements in polymeric hydrogel research, driving the forefront of material science for real-world applications.