Gels are soft condensed matter systems consisting of a percolating, solid-like network dispersed within a continuous fluid phase, exhibiting a finite elastic modulus and yield stress despite being predominantly liquid by volume. The network can arise from physical associations (e.g., hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, chain entanglements) or covalent crosslinks between polymer chains, colloidal particles, or other mesoscopic building blocks, producing a mechanically stable, non-flowing structure. Their rheological behavior is characterized by viscoelasticity, with solid-like response at low stresses and flow under higher stresses, and their properties depend sensitively on crosslink density, microstructure, and solvent quality.
Controlled-release systems deliver medication and other bioactive compounds to the ideal spot inside a body and over a specific time. New research from the U of A and the U of A System Division of Agriculture could improve ...
Bio & Medicine
Jul 28, 2025
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A new study uncovers how fine-tuning the interactions between two distinct network-forming species within a soft gel enables programmable control over its structure and mechanical properties. The findings reveal a powerful ...
Soft Matter
May 6, 2025
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Imagine materials that build themselves, responding intelligently to their environment to deliver drugs precisely where needed, scaffold regenerating tissues, or clean up pollutants. These are the promises of supramolecular ...
Nanomaterials
Apr 28, 2025
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Special biomedical materials that can be injected as a liquid and turn into a solid inside our bodies—called thermogels—could provide a less-invasive way to deliver drugs or treat wounds. Scientists at Penn State have developed ...
Bio & Medicine
Apr 9, 2025
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With increased awareness about food sources and their environmental impacts, replacing animal-derived products in food and drugs is a significant research area. One common—but often overlooked—animal protein is gelatin, found ...
Soft Matter
Apr 1, 2025
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Researchers from the Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, have developed a smart gel that responds to multiple stimuli for precise drug release.
Bio & Medicine
Mar 27, 2025
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Hydrogels are polymeric materials with three-dimensional network structures containing large amounts of water. They serve as sustained-release drug delivery systems as they can encapsulate various bioactive substances, including ...
Bio & Medicine
Feb 13, 2025
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A biomaterial that can mimic certain behaviors within biological tissues could advance regenerative medicine, disease modeling, soft robotics and more, according to researchers at Penn State.
Bio & Medicine
Feb 3, 2025
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Scientists at Caltech and Princeton University have discovered that bacterial cells growing in a solution of polymers, such as mucus, form long cables that buckle and twist on each other, building a kind of "living Jell-O."
Bio & Medicine
Jan 18, 2025
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200
Colloidal gels are complex systems made up of microscopic particles dispersed in a liquid, ultimately producing a semi-solid network. These materials have unique and advantageous properties that can be tuned using external ...
