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From Supramolecular Hydrogels to Multifunctional Carriers for Biologically Active Substances
Joanna Skopinska-Wisniewska1, Silvia De la Flor2, Justyna Kozlowska1
1Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Gagarin 7, 87-100 Torun, Poland.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|July 24, 2021
Summary
Supramolecular hydrogels utilize reversible non-covalent interactions to create versatile materials. These advanced hydrogels show promise for drug delivery, tissue engineering, and therapies.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Supramolecular hydrogels are water-swollen, elastic 3D materials.
- They are formed by reversible, non-covalent interactions like hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic, ionic, host-guest, and metal-ligand coordination.
- These interactions dictate unique properties such as mechanical strength, self-healing, and stimuli-responsiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe various non-covalent interactions in supramolecular hydrogels.
- To review recent applications of supramolecular hydrogels.
Main Methods:
- Focus on describing hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic, ionic, coordination, and host-guest interactions.
- Overview of recent studies on supramolecular hydrogel applications.
Main Results:
- Detailed description of different non-covalent interactions.
- Compilation of current research on supramolecular hydrogel applications.
Conclusions:
- Supramolecular hydrogels offer tunable properties through diverse non-covalent interactions.
- These hydrogels are promising for advanced applications in medicine and drug delivery.
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