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Fabricating Degradable Thermoresponsive Hydrogels on Multiple Length Scales via Reactive Extrusion, Microfluidics, Self-assembly, and Electrospinning
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Polymerization Kinetics-Mediated Topological Entanglement Enables High-Contrast 3D Self-Morphing in Hydrogels.

Juan Wang1, Wenxin Fan1, Jinghua Duan1

  • 1College of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Shandong Provincial Universities for Advanced Fibers and Composites, Qingdao University, Qingdao, P.R. China.

Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|June 26, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a new method for creating self-morphing hydrogels with programmed swelling gradients. This strategy enables complex 3D shape transformations by controlling polymer network structures.

Keywords:
high‐cavity 3D architecturehydrogelpolymerization kineticsshape transformationtopological entanglement

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Soft Robotics

Background:

  • Creating anisotropic networks with programmed swelling gradients is essential for advanced self-morphing hydrogels.
  • Achieving high morphological complexity and functionality in these materials remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel strategy for spatially controlling hydrogel network properties.
  • To enable high-contrast three-dimensional (3D) shape transformation through significant swelling differences.

Main Methods:

  • A polymerization kinetics-mediated approach was employed to modulate topological entanglement and interchain interactions.
  • Competition between chain growth and mass transport during polymerization was leveraged.
  • Spatial modulation of ultraviolet (UV) light intensity controlled polymerization rates and network structures.

Main Results:

  • The method generated localized hydrogel domains with vastly different swelling ratios, achieving a 23-fold difference.
  • Slow polymerization led to densely entangled networks with enhanced interchain hydrogen bonding, reducing swelling.
  • Rapid polymerization resulted in networks with weaker interchain interactions and higher swelling.

Conclusions:

  • This approach allows for precise control over swelling gradients, leading to intricate 3D morphologies.
  • The strategy significantly broadens the architectural versatility and application potential of hydrogel-based adaptive materials.
  • It overcomes limitations of conventional self-morphing hydrogels by enabling high-contrast shape transformations.