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Advances in Functional Gel (2nd Edition)
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Advances in Functional Gel (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Chemistry and Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024 | Viewed by 5371

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Rosaria Plutino

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Guest Editor
Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN–CNR, Palermo, c/o Department ChiBioFarAm, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
Interests: materials chemistry; green chemistry; nanotechnology; environmental remediation; advanced materials; functional coating; colloidal nanoparticles; smart and hi-tech textiles; (waste)water treatment; multifunctional hybrid materials and nanocomposites; sensing technologies; bio-based blended polymers; circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Silvia Sfameni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN—CNR, Palermo, c/o Department of ChiBioFarAm, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
Interests: material chemistry; nanotechnology; sol–gel chemistry; polymer science; Hi-tech textiles; functional coatings; sustainability; stimuli-responsive polymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Giulia Rando

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN—CNR, Palermo, c/o Department of ChiBioFarAm, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
Interests: materials chemistry; green chemistry; nanotechnology; environmental remediation; advanced materials; filtration membranes; stimuli-responsive polymers; functional systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, due to the increasing demands of modern society for sustainability, environmental protection and pollution prevention, there has been a growing global need for more efficient, eco-friendly and long-life materials.

In this framework, it appears to be quite necessary to encompass a range of strategies that can help in the transition towards a circular economy, by supporting the following:

  • A reduction in primary raw material consumption, fossil-based reagents and waste production;
  • The development of multifunctional products that can help in saving money and reducing pollution, by decreasing the number of products in our everyday life;
  • The maintenance of the final product performances over time, by improving their resistance to external agents and to consumption by end users, thus extending the product life cycle.

Using this reasoning, recent research studies in materials chemistry are moving towards the development of innovative and smart (multi)functional gel-based materials, featuring a wide range of interesting properties for applications in biomedical, sensing, textiles, catalysis, building, cultural heritage, blue-growth, automotive and environmental industrial sectors.

Additionally, nanotechnology has been shown to be a determinant in the rational design of these novel functional nanostructured gel formulations, leading to advanced nano-hybrid or nanocomposite gels, also useful as coatings for surface properties’ implementation, such as anti-vegetative or antibacterial, hydrophobic, anti-stain, fire-retardant, controlled drug release, molecule detection, protection and mechanical resistance.

In this regard, gel technologies are receiving considerable attention for the design and development of functional hybrid organic and inorganic systems, based on hosting (blended) polymeric matrices and opportune functional nanofillers, thanks to the advantages, such as low process temperature, no cytotoxicity, high final product homogeneity, hazardous solvent’s absence, high versatility and stable binding to functional molecules or surfaces.

Furthermore, green and eco-friendly gel-based synthetic protocols can be established in combination with naturally derived polymers and bio-based or secondary raw materials, thus resulting in new eco-friendly products, which can be recycled and re-used.

Dr. Maria Rosaria Plutino
Dr. Silvia Sfameni
Dr. Giulia Rando
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • smart gel systems
  • nanohybrid gels
  • nanocomposite gels
  • innovative advanced gels
  • bio-based gel materials
  • sol–gel technique
  • functional gel coatings

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2576 KiB  
Article
Tailoring of the Properties of Amorphous Mesoporous Titanosilicates Active in Acetone Condensation
by Vera R. Bikbaeva, Anna S. Artem’eva, Sergey V. Bubennov, Alexander I. Nikiforov, Viktor Y. Kirsanov, Dmitry V. Serebrennikov, Lubov F. Korzhova, Stanislav G. Karchevsky, Leonard M. Khalilov, Boris I. Kutepov and Nellia G. Grigoreva
Gels 2024, 10(11), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10110732 - 12 Nov 2024
Viewed by 473
Abstract
Amorphous mesoporous materials are promising as catalysts for processes involving or forming bulk molecules. In a reaction such as acetone condensation to form mesitylene, an effective catalyst should not only have a developed porous structure but also have active centers of acidic and [...] Read more.
Amorphous mesoporous materials are promising as catalysts for processes involving or forming bulk molecules. In a reaction such as acetone condensation to form mesitylene, an effective catalyst should not only have a developed porous structure but also have active centers of acidic and basic types. The sol–gel approach allows one to obtain titanosilicates with such characteristics. This work demonstrates the possibility of controlling their properties by varying the conditions for the synthesis of titanosilicate gels. It has been established that controlling hydrolysis allows one to increase the activity of amorphous mesoporous titanosilicates by 10 times: from acetone conversion of 6% to 60%. It has been shown that the use of titanium acetylacetonate complexes in the synthesis of gels leads to an increase in the content of tetracoordinated Ti in the structure and contributes to an increase in the acidity of titanosilicates. During the condensation of acetone on the obtained mesoporous titanosilicates, high acetone conversion (60–79%) and mesitylene selectivity of up to 83% were achieved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Gel (2nd Edition))
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15 pages, 4087 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Carbodiimide Crosslinkers on Gelatin Hydrogel as a Potential Biomaterial for Gingival Tissue Regeneration
by Dimas Ilham Hutomo, Fathia Agzarine Deandra, Ketherin Ketherin, Elena García-Gareta, Endang Winiati Bachtiar, Lisa Amir, Fatimah Maria Tadjoedin, Adityo Widaryono, Natalina Haerani, Robert Lessang and Yuniarti Soeroso
Gels 2024, 10(11), 674; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10110674 - 22 Oct 2024
Viewed by 634
Abstract
Connective tissue grafts for gingival recession treatment present significant challenges as they require an additional surgical site, leading to increased morbidity, extended operative times, and a more painful postoperative recovery for patients. Gelatin contains the arginine–glycine–aspartic acid (RGD) sequence, which supports cell adhesion [...] Read more.
Connective tissue grafts for gingival recession treatment present significant challenges as they require an additional surgical site, leading to increased morbidity, extended operative times, and a more painful postoperative recovery for patients. Gelatin contains the arginine–glycine–aspartic acid (RGD) sequence, which supports cell adhesion and interactions. The development of gelatin hydrogels holds significant promise due to their biocompatibility, ease of customization, and structural resemblance to the extracellular matrix, making them a potential candidate for gingival regeneration. This study aimed to assess the physical and biological properties of crosslinked gelatin hydrogels using EDC/NHS with two crosslinker concentrations (GelCL12 and GelCL24) and compare these to non-crosslinked gelatin. Both groups underwent morphological, rheological, and chemical analysis. Biological assessments were conducted to evaluate human gingival fibroblast (HGF) proliferation, migration, and COL1 expression in response to the scaffolds. The crosslinked gelatin group exhibited greater interconnectivity and better physical characteristics without displaying cytotoxic effects on the cells. FTIR analysis revealed no significant chemical differences between the groups. Notably, the GelCL12 group significantly enhanced HGF migration and upregulated COL1 expression. Overall, GelCL12 met the required physical characteristics and biocompatibility, making it a promising scaffold for future gingival tissue regeneration applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Gel (2nd Edition))
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12 pages, 2852 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Physicochemical and Pharmacokinetic Properties of Bevacizumab Dissolved in Silicone Oils Compared to Hydrogel-Substitutes and Porcine Vitreous Bodies
by Maximilian Hammer, Jonathan Herth, Lorenz Herbster, Manuel Ben Böhmann, Marcel Muuss, Ramin Khoramnia, Alexander Scheuerle, Walter Mier, Sabrina Wohlfart, Gerd Uwe Auffarth and Philipp Uhl
Gels 2024, 10(8), 501; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10080501 - 28 Jul 2024
Viewed by 895
Abstract
Anti-VEGF agents, e.g., bevacizumab, are used in retinal surgery, while their interaction with silicone oils and novel hydrogels remains unclear. This study examines the in vitro pharmacokinetics of bevacizumab in silicone oil-filled eyes compared to various hydrogel replacements and the porcine vitreous body [...] Read more.
Anti-VEGF agents, e.g., bevacizumab, are used in retinal surgery, while their interaction with silicone oils and novel hydrogels remains unclear. This study examines the in vitro pharmacokinetics of bevacizumab in silicone oil-filled eyes compared to various hydrogel replacements and the porcine vitreous body as well as its impact on the interface tension of silicone oils. An in vitro model filled with light or heavy silicone oil, porcine vitreous bodies, or hydrogels (alginate and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based) was equilibrated with a balanced salt solution. Monitoring of bevacizumab in the aqueous phase was conducted for up to 24 h, and its effect on interfacial tension was studied. Significant differences in bevacizumab partitioning were observed across endotamponades after 24 h. In silicone oils, bevacizumab was found exclusively in the aqueous phase, while in the other endotamponades, it accumulated in the gel phase (96.1% in porcine vitreous body, 83.5% in alginate, and 27.6% in PEG-based hydrogel). Bevacizumab significantly reduced interfacial tension (40 to 8 mN/m), possibly enhancing silicone oil emulsification. The type of endotamponade heavily influenced the bevacizumab concentration in the aqueous. The vitreous body and replacement hydrogels likely serve as a drug reservoir, highlighting the need for in vivo studies to explore these interactions prior to clinical application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Gel (2nd Edition))
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18 pages, 22447 KiB  
Article
Rheological and Injectability Evaluation of Sterilized Poloxamer-407-Based Hydrogels Containing Docetaxel-Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles
by Ana Camila Marques, Paulo C. Costa, Sérgia Velho and Maria Helena Amaral
Gels 2024, 10(5), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10050307 - 1 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1999
Abstract
Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) have the potential to increase the bioavailability and reduce the side effects of docetaxel (DTX). However, only a small fraction of nanoparticles given intravenously can reach a solid tumor. In situ-forming gels combined with nanoparticles facilitate local administration and [...] Read more.
Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) have the potential to increase the bioavailability and reduce the side effects of docetaxel (DTX). However, only a small fraction of nanoparticles given intravenously can reach a solid tumor. In situ-forming gels combined with nanoparticles facilitate local administration and promote drug retention at the tumor site. Injectable hydrogels based on poloxamer 407 are excellent candidates for this hybrid nanoparticle–hydrogel system because of their thermoresponsive behavior and biocompatibility. Therefore, this work aimed to develop injectable poloxamer hydrogels containing NLCs for intratumoral delivery of DTX. To ensure sterility, the obtained hydrogels were autoclaved (121 °C for 15 min) after preparation. Then, the incorporation of NLCs into the poloxamer hydrogels and the impact of steam sterilization on the nanocomposite hydrogels were evaluated concerning sol–gel transition, injectability, and physicochemical stability. All formulations were extruded through the tested syringe–needle systems with acceptable force (2.2–13.4 N) and work (49.5–317.7 N·mm) of injection. Following steam sterilization, injection became easier in most cases, and the physicochemical properties of all hydrogels remained practically unchanged according to the spectroscopical and thermal analysis. The rheological evaluation revealed that the nanocomposite hydrogels were liquid at 25 °C and underwent rapid gelation at 37 °C. However, their sterilized counterparts gelled at 1–2 °C above body temperature, suggesting that the autoclaving conditions employed had rendered these nanocomposite hydrogels unsuitable for local drug delivery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Gel (2nd Edition))
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