Supramolecular Hydrogels: From Design to Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Supramolecular hydrogels held together by non-covalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic, electrostatic, and π–π interactions are among the most promising soft materials for drug delivery and biosensor and photodynamic therapy. Supramolecular hydrogels exhibit unique physicochemical properties, such as high drug loading capacity, bioactivity, and biocompatibility. Many of these materials also show some remarkable functionalities, such as superior optoelectronic properties, shape memory, and self-healing ability. Consequently, supramolecular hydrogels comprising naturally occurring peptides, proteins, polysaccharides, cyclodextrins, and biocompatible polymers such as polyethylene glycol, alginate, and chitosan are among the well-known examples which can form supramolecular hydrogels. Advanced microscopy, spectroscopy, scattering techniques, and rheological measurements are being used in tandem for the detailed characterization of the gel. Due to their remarkable functionalities and choice of tailoring from the molecular level, supramolecular hydrogels are poised to solve many of the unmet needs in healthcare and medicine. This Special Issue aims to highlight some of the recent examples in this subject area, and in particular the ones that are driving our understanding of mesoscale structure–properties relation toward application.

Dr. Jijo Vallooran Joy
Guest Editor

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• Soft materials
• Supramolecular materials
• Hydrophobic interactions
• Scattering techniques
• π–π interactions
• Biosensors
• Drug-delivery materials
• Bio-nanotechnology