The Role of Water in the Properties of Hydrogels

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2017) | Viewed by 17281

Special Issue Editors

Centro Interuniversitario Sistemi Medici Avanzati (CRISMA), 53034 Colle di Val d'Elsa, Siena, Italy
Interests: synthesis of polysaccharide hydrogels; modification of metallic materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dipartimento di Biotecnologie, Chimica e Farmacia, Università di Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
Interests: surface science; structure; properties and reactivity of solid surfaces; properties of nanostructured materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The behavior and technological performances of hydrogels are determined, to a large extent, by the structure and dynamics of water in contact and interacting with the polymer network. A better understanding of these topics is of fundamental importance for improving our knowledge on the structure–property relationships in hydrogels. This Special Issue, "The Role of Water in the Properties of Hydrogels”, is aimed to present recent developments concerning the key role of water in determining the rheological, chemical and biological properties of hydrogels. In this Special Issue, experimental and modelling works on the structure and dynamics of water molecules within hydrogels will be presented. This Special Issue will provide a multidisciplinary forum for researchers to present and discuss the most recent studies on the role of water in hydrogels.

Prof. Dr. Rolando Barbucci
Dr. Andrea Atrei
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • Biopolymers
  • Cross-linked polymers
  • Multi responsive hydrogels
  • Water confinement
  • Water–polymer interface
  • Capillarity phenomena
  • Structure and dynamics of water molecules

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

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Review
Properties of Water Bound in Hydrogels
by Vladimir M. Gun’ko, Irina N. Savina and Sergey V. Mikhalovsky
Gels 2017, 3(4), 37; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/gels3040037 - 19 Oct 2017
Cited by 155 | Viewed by 11802
Abstract
In this review, the importance of water in hydrogel (HG) properties and structure is analyzed. A variety of methods such as 1H NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), XRD (X-ray powder diffraction), dielectric relaxation spectroscopy, thermally stimulated depolarization current, quasi-elastic [...] Read more.
In this review, the importance of water in hydrogel (HG) properties and structure is analyzed. A variety of methods such as 1H NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), XRD (X-ray powder diffraction), dielectric relaxation spectroscopy, thermally stimulated depolarization current, quasi-elastic neutron scattering, rheometry, diffusion, adsorption, infrared spectroscopy are used to study water in HG. The state of HG water is rather non-uniform. According to thermodynamic features of water in HG, some of it is non-freezing and strongly bound, another fraction is freezing and weakly bound, and the third fraction is non-bound, free water freezing at 0 °C. According to structural features of water in HG, it can be divided into two fractions with strongly associated and weakly associated waters. The properties of the water in HG depend also on the amounts and types of solutes, pH, salinity, structural features of HG functionalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Water in the Properties of Hydrogels)
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Perspective
Why Hydrogels Don’t Dribble Water
by Gerald H. Pollack
Gels 2017, 3(4), 43; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/gels3040043 - 15 Nov 2017
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4543
Abstract
Hydrogels contain ample amounts of water, with the water-to-solid ratio sometimes reaching tens of thousands of times. How can so much water remain securely lodged within the gel? New findings imply a simple mechanism. Next to hydrophilic surfaces, water transitions into an extensive [...] Read more.
Hydrogels contain ample amounts of water, with the water-to-solid ratio sometimes reaching tens of thousands of times. How can so much water remain securely lodged within the gel? New findings imply a simple mechanism. Next to hydrophilic surfaces, water transitions into an extensive gel-like phase in which molecules become ordered. This “fourth phase” of water sticks securely to the solid gel matrix, ensuring that the water does not leak out. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Water in the Properties of Hydrogels)
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