An Injectable Self-Healing Hydrogel Based on Chain-Extended PEO-PPO-PEO Multiblock Copolymer

Injectable hydrogels have been commonly used as drug-delivery vehicles and tried in tissue engineering. Injectable self-healing hydrogels have great advantage over traditional injectable hydrogels because they can be injected as a liquid and then rapidly form bulk gels in situ at the target site under physiological conditions. This study develops an injectable thermosensitive self-healing hydrogel based on chain-extended F127 (PEO₉₀ -PPO₆₅ -PEO₉₀ ) multi-block copolymer (m-F127). The rapid sol-gel transition ability under body temperature allows it to be used as injectable hydrogel and the self-healing property allows it to withstand repeated deformation and quickly recover its mechanical properties and structure through the dynamic covalent bonds. It is hoped that the novel strategy and the fascinating properties of the hydrogel as presented here will provide new opportunities with regard to the design and practical application of injectable self-healing hydrogels.