Self-healing, a property of autonomically triggered recovery after damage, is one of the most outstanding properties observed in biological materials. Among various strategies for self-healing materials, intrinsic system which use inherent reversibility of physiological interactions or chemical bonds attracted most attention. Smart materials, which possess the property of rapid response to environmental changes, provide an approach to self-healing materials due to their biomimicking functions. Herein, this dissertation aims at design and synthesizing intrinsic self-healing protein hydrogels with different functionalities. Firstly, we present herein a strategy for construction of self-healing protein hydrogels with thermal method. Repeated self-healing events with about 100% recovery extent was observed. However, external thermal requirement to trigger the self-healing mechanism in this system prevents its application in biomedical area. Then, a new class of protein hydrogel system was developed at room temperature under physiological pH based on cooperation of ion-mediated protein-protein interaction and bridging effect. Excellent self-healing properties of this hydrogel system were observed without external stimuli at room temperature under physiological pH, and this behavior can be promoted with the presence of divalent ions in physiological concentration. In addition, superior biocompatibility has been demonstrated by in vitrocytotoxicity analysis, suggesting potential biomedical application of this material in drug delivery, biological repair and tissue engineering. In order to improve healing efficiency and broaden the scope of applications of self-repairing protein hydrogels, a third system was brought. The protein hydrogels were fabricated by adjusting pH of the protein solutions. Rapid recovery as well as stronger healing capability were observed and quantitatively studied. In addition, this hydrogel exhibits self-adhesion and autofluorescence, which expand its application to where versatility of material is required under abrasive condition. Stimulus-responsive repairing to original state of mechanical properties in intrinsic self-healing protein hydrogels were demonstrated. The easy preparation and modification of the hydrogels opens an avenue in design of self-repairing materials with other desired functionalities.

This book reviews the current knowledge on tunable hydrogels, including the range of different materials and applications, as well as the existing challenges and limitations in the field. It covers various aspects of the material design, particularly highlighting biological responsiveness, degradability and responsiveness to external stimuli. In this book, readers will discover original research data and state-of-the-art reviews in the area of hydrogel technology, with a specific focus on biotechnology and medicine. Written by leading experts, the contributions outline strategies for designing tunable hydrogels and offer a detailed evaluation of the physical and synthetic methods currently employed to achieve specific hydrogel properties and responsiveness. This highly informative book provides important theoretical and practical insights for scholars and researchers working with hydrogels for biomedical and biotechnological applications.

Multifunctional Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications Comprehensive resource presenting a thorough overview of the biomedical applications of hydrogels This book provides an overview of the development and applications of the clinically relevant hydrogels that are used particularly in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, it goes through the material from chemistry, materials science, biology, medicine, nanotechnology, and bioengineering points of view. Sample topics covered by the three well-qualified editors include: The design, functions, and developments of hydrogels Proteins and polysaccharides that mimic extracellular matrix Generation and applications of supramolecular hydrogels Design and functions of cell encapsulation systems Multifunctional Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications is a useful all-in-one reference work for materials scientists, polymer chemists, and bioengineers which provides a comprehensive, contemporary understanding of hydrogels and their applications targeting a wide variety of pathologies.

How Can Polymers Constructed From Living Organisms Help Eliminate the Disposal Issue? A unique category of materials called biodegradable polymers could help remedy a growing environmental concern. Biodegradable Polymeric Nanocomposites: Advances in Biomedical Applications considers the potential of biodegradable polymers for use in biomedical appl

Hydrogels, as three-dimensional polymer networks, are able to retain a large amount of water in their swollen state. The biomedical application of hydrogels was initially hampered by the toxicity of cross-linking agents and the limitations of hydrogel formation under physiological conditions. However, emerging knowledge in polymer chemistry and an increased understanding of biological processes have resulted in the design of versatile materials and minimally invasive therapies.The novel but challenging properties of hydrogels are attracting the attention of researchers in the biological, medical, and pharmaceutical fields. In the last few years, new methods have been developed for the preparation of hydrophilic polymers and hydrogels, which may be used in future biomedical and drug delivery applications. Such efforts include the synthesis of self-organized nanostructures based on triblock copolymers with applications in controlled drug delivery. These hydrogels could be used as carriers for drug delivery when combined with the techniques of drug imprinting and subsequent release. Engineered protein hydrogels have many potential advantages. They are excellent biomaterials and biodegradables. Furthermore, they could encapsulate drugs and be used in injectable forms to replace surgery, to repair damaged cartilage, in regenerative medicine, or in tissue engineering. Also, they have potential applications in gene therapy, although this field is relatively new.

Hydrogels are important polymer-based materials with innate fascinating properties and applications: they are three-dimensional, hydrophilic, polymeric networks that can absorb large amounts of water or aqueous fluids and are biocompatible, mechanically flexible, and soft. The incorporation of functionalities to develop smart and bioactive platforms has led to a myriad of applications. This book offers a comprehensive overview of multifunctional hydrogels, covering fundamentals, properties, and advanced applications in a progressive way. While each chapter can be read stand-alone, together they clearly describe the fundamental concepts of design, synthesis, and fabrication, as well as properties and performances of smart multifunctional hydrogels and their advanced applications in the biomedical, environmental, and robotics fields. This book: • Introduces readers to different hydrogel materials and the polymer types used to fabricate them. • Discusses conducting polymer hydrogels, nanocomposite hydrogels, and self-healing hydrogels. • Covers synthesis methodologies and fabrication techniques commonly used to confer certain structures and/or architectures. • Shows how hydrogels can be modified to incorporate new functionalities able to respond to physical and/or chemical changes. • Examines applications including bioelectronics, sensors and biosensors, tissue engineering, drug delivery, antipathogen applications, cancer theranostics, environmental applications, and soft robotics, with chapters showcasing the main advances achieved up to date in every field. Multifunctional Hydrogels: From Basic Concepts to Advanced Applications serves as a valuable resource for academic and industry researchers from interdisciplinary fields including materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, bioengineering, physics, and pharmaceutical engineering.