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Polymers
Special Issues
Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Biomedical Applications
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Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 May 2025 | Viewed by 5789

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Libo Nie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Life Science and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, China
Interests: molecularly imprinted polymers; drug delivery system; biosensors
Dr. Li Tang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Life Science and Chemistry, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, China
Interests: hydrogels; flexible sensors; wound dressing; nano materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In previous decades, rapid advances in biomedicine have been seen with the development of advanced functional materials. Polymer materials, as classic controllable and designable materials, have shown great application prospects in biomedical fields such as biosensing, bioimaging, drug delivery, tissue engineering and health monitoring.

The research shows that the application of functional polymer materials in biomedicine not only helps to solve various health problems faced by humans but also promotes the development of functional polymers. Therefore, we are still looking for novel and interesting ideas to push forward progress in both polymer materials and biomedicine. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews on functional polymer materials in the field of biomedicine are welcomed, including hydrogels, molecularly imprinted polymers, nanopolymers, elastomers, shape memory polymers, and so on.

Prof. Dr. Libo Nie
Dr. Li Tang
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. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • functional polymers
  • molecularly imprinted polymers
  • nanopolymers
  • hydrogels
  • elastomers
  • shape memory polymers
  • biosensors
  • flexible sensors
  • drug delivery system

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 4243 KiB  
Article
Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with High Mechanical Properties and Programmable Actuation via the Synergy of Double-Network and Synchronized Ultraviolet Polymerization Strategies
by Li Tang, Xuemei Wu, Yue Xu, Youwei Li, Shaoji Wu, Liang Gong and Jianxin Tang
Polymers 2024, 16(6), 840; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16060840 - 19 Mar 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1395
Abstract
Bilayer hydrogel actuators, consisting of an actuating layer and a functional layer, show broad applications in areas such as soft robotics, artificial muscles, drug delivery and tissue engineering due to their inherent flexibility and responses to stimuli. However, to achieve the compatibility of [...] Read more.
Bilayer hydrogel actuators, consisting of an actuating layer and a functional layer, show broad applications in areas such as soft robotics, artificial muscles, drug delivery and tissue engineering due to their inherent flexibility and responses to stimuli. However, to achieve the compatibility of good stimulus responses and high mechanical properties of bilayer hydrogel actuators is still a challenge. Herein, based on the double-network strategy and using the synchronous ultraviolet (UV) polymerization method, an upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-type bilayer hydrogel actuator was prepared, which consisted of a poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)[MC] actuating layer and an agar/poly(N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid)[AHA] functional layer. The results showed that the tensile stress/strain of the bilayer hydrogel actuator was 1161.21 KPa/222.07%. In addition, the UCST of bilayer hydrogels was ~35 °C, allowing the bilayer hydrogel actuator to be curled into an “◎” shape, which could be unfolded when the temperature was 65 °C, but not at a temperature of 5 °C. Furthermore, hydrogel actuators of three different shapes were designed, namely “butterfly”, “cross” and “circle”, all of which demonstrated good actuating performances, showing the programmable potential of bilayer hydrogels. Overall, the bilayer hydrogels prepared using double-network and synchronous UV polymerization strategies realized the combination of high mechanical properties with an efficient temperature actuation, which provides a new method for the development of bilayer hydrogel actuators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Biomedical Applications)
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Review

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23 pages, 8154 KiB  
Review
Poly(2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline) as a Versatile Functional Polymer for Biomedical Applications
by Juraj Kronek, Alžbeta Minarčíková, Zuzana Kroneková, Monika Majerčíková, Paul Strasser and Ian Teasdale
Polymers 2024, 16(12), 1708; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16121708 - 14 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1202
Abstract
Functional polymers play an important role in various biomedical applications. From many choices, poly(2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline) (PIPOx) represents a promising reactive polymer with great potential in various biomedical applications. PIPOx, with pendant reactive 2-oxazoline groups, can be readily prepared in a controllable manner via several [...] Read more.
Functional polymers play an important role in various biomedical applications. From many choices, poly(2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline) (PIPOx) represents a promising reactive polymer with great potential in various biomedical applications. PIPOx, with pendant reactive 2-oxazoline groups, can be readily prepared in a controllable manner via several controlled/living polymerization methods, such as living anionic polymerization, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), reversible addition–fragmentation transfer (RAFT) or rare earth metal-mediated group transfer polymerization. The reactivity of pendant 2-oxazoline allows selective reactions with thiol and carboxylic group-containing compounds without the presence of any catalyst. Moreover, PIPOx has been demonstrated to be a non-cytotoxic polymer with immunomodulative properties. Post-polymerization functionalization of PIPOx has been used for the preparation of thermosensitive or cationic polymers, drug conjugates, hydrogels, brush-like materials, and polymer coatings available for drug and gene delivery, tissue engineering, blood-like materials, antimicrobial materials, and many others. This mini-review covers new achievements in PIPOx synthesis, reactivity, and use in biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Biomedical Applications)
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22 pages, 5967 KiB  
Review
Repair of Infected Bone Defects with Hydrogel Materials
by Zhenmin Cao, Zuodong Qin, Gregory J. Duns, Zhao Huang, Yao Chen, Sheng Wang, Ruqi Deng, Libo Nie and Xiaofang Luo
Polymers 2024, 16(2), 281; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16020281 - 19 Jan 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2230
Abstract
Infected bone defects represent a common clinical condition involving bone tissue, often necessitating surgical intervention and antibiotic therapy. However, conventional treatment methods face obstacles such as antibiotic resistance and susceptibility to postoperative infections. Hydrogels show great potential for application in the field of [...] Read more.
Infected bone defects represent a common clinical condition involving bone tissue, often necessitating surgical intervention and antibiotic therapy. However, conventional treatment methods face obstacles such as antibiotic resistance and susceptibility to postoperative infections. Hydrogels show great potential for application in the field of tissue engineering due to their advantageous biocompatibility, unique mechanical properties, exceptional processability, and degradability. Recent interest has surged in employing hydrogels as a novel therapeutic intervention for infected bone repair. This article aims to comprehensively review the existing literature on the anti-microbial and osteogenic approaches utilized by hydrogels in repairing infected bones, encompassing their fabrication techniques, biocompatibility, antimicrobial efficacy, and biological activities. Additionally, the potential opportunities and obstacles in their practical implementation will be explored. Lastly, the limitations presently encountered and the prospective avenues for further investigation in the realm of hydrogel materials for the management of infected bone defects will be deliberated. This review provides a theoretical foundation and advanced design strategies for the application of hydrogel materials in the treatment of infected bone defects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Biomedical Applications)
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