Volume 59, Issue 36 pp. 15342-15377
Review

Stimuli-Responsive Biomolecule-Based Hydrogels and Their Applications

Dr. Margarita Vázquez-González

Dr. Margarita Vázquez-González

Institute of Chemistry, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904 Israel

Search for more papers by this author
Prof. Itamar Willner

Corresponding Author

Prof. Itamar Willner

Institute of Chemistry, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904 Israel

Search for more papers by this author
First published: 15 November 2019
Citations: 359

Graphical Abstract

Having control: Stimuli-responsive hydrogels with triggered stiffness properties are attracting growing interest as smart materials for different applications. The Review discusses the design of biomolecule-based stimuli-responsive hydrogels and their applications as self-healing, shape-memory, and controlled drug-release matrices, as well as mechanical actuators. Surface-confined switchable hydrogels and their uses are also introduced.

Abstract

This Review presents polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, nucleic acids, peptides, and proteins as functional stimuli-responsive polymer scaffolds that yield hydrogels with controlled stiffness. Different physical or chemical triggers can be used to structurally reconfigure the crosslinking units and control the stiffness of the hydrogels. The integration of stimuli-responsive supramolecular complexes and stimuli-responsive biomolecular units as crosslinkers leads to hybrid hydrogels undergoing reversible triggered transitions across different stiffness states. Different applications of stimuli-responsive biomolecule-based hydrogels are discussed. The assembly of stimuli-responsive biomolecule-based hydrogel films on surfaces and their applications are discussed. The coating of drug-loaded nanoparticles with stimuli-responsive hydrogels for controlled drug release is also presented.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.