Issue 9, 2015 - USTC develops a new oligomer hydrogel

Professor Gaolin Liang's research group of the University of Science and Technology of China has recently developed a new oligomer hydrogel
.
The oligomer hydrogel surpasses the mechanical strength of small molecule hydrogels, and its oligomer properties make it biocompatible, making it have a wide application prospect
in the field of tissue engineering and long-term drug release.

The researchers used a unique condensation reaction platform developed by Liang Gaolin to control the condensation of small molecules using the reducing agent glutathione, and the self-assembly of oligomers with solution acidity and alkalinity to obtain oligomer fibers and form hydrogels
.
The characterization results show that the condensed compounds are oligomers, and the mechanical strength of the hydrogel is lower than that of many polymer hydrogels but higher than most small molecule hydrogels
.

According to reports, hydrogel is a large number of water-rich materials, which are widely used in drug release, tissue engineering and other fields
.
Today's existing hydrogels are usually divided into two types, namely polymer hydrogels and small molecule hydrogels
.
Polymer hydrogels are mainly bound by covalent bonds, and their strength is greater than that of small molecule hydrogels, and are often used in polymer materials, electricity, and long-term drug release, but their refractory characteristics and toxic reactions in the synthesis process affect its biocompatibility
.
Small molecule hydrogels are easily degradable and have good biocompatibility, but their weak mechanical strength restricts their application
in the field of tissue engineering and long-term drug release.
(Work)