Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026

Printing Thermoresponsive Reverse Molds for the Creation of Patterned Two-component Hydrogels for 3D Cell Culture
Published on: July 10, 2013
Poly(methyl methacrylate) Nanosphere-Based Photocrosslinked Hydrogels with Ultralong Phosphorescence Lifetimes for
Zhipeng Zhao1, Yanyu Bi2, Yi Wu1
1Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Collaborative Innovation Center of Marine Biobased Fiber and Ecological Textile Technology, Institute of Marine Biobased Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Hydrogel-based afterglow materials offer significant potential for broadening the application field of organic room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials owing to their tissue-mimetic flexibility and superior biocompatibility. However, achieving a colorful and efficient RTP in a water-rich hydrogel environment remains challenging. Here, we present a general strategy to fabricate colorful and efficient RTP hydrogels by incorporating compact and hydrophobic nanospheres loaded with chromophores, synthesized via emulsion polymerization, into photocrosslinked hydrogels with oxygen barrier properties. The resultant hydrogel demonstrates a remarkably high water content of 94.6% and a maximum phosphorescence lifetime of up to 1697.0 ms, both significantly surpassing the relevant values of organic RTP hydrogels reported in prior studies. Furthermore, 3D RTP hydrogels with complex geometries and high precision are fabricated using digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology. This approach connects the RTP hydrogel and 3D printing fields for the first time, opening up substantial potential for advancing the applications of RTP materials.

