Adhesive and tough hydrogels: from structural design to applications

J Mater Chem B. 2021 Aug 4;9(30):5954-5966. doi: 10.1039/d1tb01166a.

Abstract

In recent years, multifunctional hydrogels have garnered great interest. Usually, there is a contradiction between the toughness and interface adhesion of traditional hydrogels. In engineering and medical applications, hydrogels need to have good adhesive properties and toughness. The design of functional hydrogels with strong adhesion and high toughness is key to their application. In this review, the research progress of adhesive and tough hydrogels in recent years is outlined. Specifically, the structural design (such as integrated, layered, and gradient structures) and applications (such as cartilage repair, drug delivery, strain sensors, tissue adhesives, soft actuators, and supercapacitors) of adhesive and tough hydrogels are classified and discussed, providing new insights on their design and development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Drug Design*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogels / chemical synthesis*
  • Hydrogels / chemistry
  • Tissue Adhesives / chemical synthesis*
  • Tissue Adhesives / chemistry

Substances

  • Hydrogels
  • Tissue Adhesives