Articles tagged with "hydrogel"
Aqueous zinc battery hit 1,000 cycles with plant-derived hydrogel
Researchers at South China University of Technology have developed a sustainable, plant-derived cellulose hydrogel that effectively addresses the dendrite formation problem in aqueous zinc-ion batteries. Zinc dendrites—jagged metallic spikes formed during charging—typically cause internal short circuits and rapid battery failure. The new hydrogel, created by dissolving microcrystalline cellulose and reinforcing it with bamboo-derived TEMPO-oxidized nanofibers, acts as a robust separator that significantly prolongs battery life. These nanofibers serve both as structural reinforcement and as chemical pathways that nearly double zinc ion mobility, resulting in batteries that last 1,100 hours of cycling—far surpassing the 120-hour lifespan of commercial glass-fiber separators. The hydrogel membrane is thin, transparent, and mechanically tough, maintaining smooth zinc surfaces and preventing dendrite growth, which preserves about 80% of battery capacity after 1,000 charge cycles. Made from inexpensive, abundant materials like cellulose powder, bamboo, and borax,
energybattery-technologyaqueous-zinc-batteryhydrogelsustainable-materialscellulose-nanofibersenergy-storageSmart heart patch cuts damage by 50% after major heart attack
MIT engineers have developed a flexible hydrogel heart patch that significantly improves recovery after a major heart attack by delivering multiple drugs in a precisely timed sequence directly to damaged cardiac tissue. Tested successfully in rats, the patch reduced tissue damage by 50% and increased survival rates by 33%, outperforming traditional intravenous drug delivery. The patch releases three drugs—neuregulin-1 to prevent cell death, VEGF to promote blood vessel growth, and GW788388 to reduce scar formation—over specific intervals aligned with the heart’s natural healing process. The patch is made from biodegradable microparticles embedded in a thin, flexible hydrogel that can be placed on the heart during open-heart surgery. This approach aims to restore heart function more effectively than current treatments, which often fail to regenerate damaged tissue. The hydrogel safely dissolves over time without impairing heart movement. The researchers plan to conduct further testing in larger animal models and explore integrating the timed-release technology into stents for less invasive treatment options. The study
materialshydrogeldrug-deliverybiodegradable-polymercardiac-tissue-regenerationmedical-devicebiomaterialsNew hydrogel could make faking, cloning products next to impossible
Scientists have developed a novel hydrogel-based technology that provides each physical object with a unique, unclonable identity, addressing the challenge of authenticating genuine items in fields vulnerable to counterfeiting, such as medical implants and microchips. This hydrogel is created using a process called regional assembly crosslinking (RAC), combining polypyrrole (PPy) and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) under an electric field to form a complex 3D network of ion-electron transduction junctions. These microscopic junctions produce distinctive electrical responses when pulsed, generating over 10^19 unique challenge-response pairs—far exceeding standard cryptographic requirements—and demonstrating high reliability and reproducibility even after repeated tests. The hydrogel’s vast challenge space and nonlinear internal dynamics make it practically impossible to clone or predict its behavior, even with advanced machine learning techniques. This breakthrough offers a promising physical authentication method that could secure not only microchips and medical devices but also flexible electronics, wearable
materialshydrogelphysical-unclonable-functionpolymer-networkssecurityencryptionconductive-polymersScientists grow 3D human brains for personalized medicine study
MIT scientists have developed a novel 3D human brain tissue model called Multicellular Integrated Brains (miBrains), which replicates the brain’s full cellular complexity for personalized medicine research. Smaller than a dime, each miBrain integrates the six major brain cell types—including neurons, glial cells, and vascular structures—into a living model that self-organizes into functional units such as blood vessels and a working blood-brain barrier. Derived from patient-specific stem cells, miBrains enable researchers to create personalized brain models reflecting individual genetic backgrounds, offering a more accurate and scalable alternative to traditional cell cultures and animal models. The development of miBrains involved engineering a hydrogel-based “neuromatrix” that mimics the brain’s natural environment and supports cell growth and function. This modular platform allows precise control over cellular composition and genetic editing, facilitating detailed studies of neurological diseases and drug responses. In initial experiments, the researchers used miBrains to investigate the APOE4 gene variant, a major genetic risk factor
materials3D-bioprintingtissue-engineeringpersonalized-medicinebrain-modelshydrogelbiomedical-researchSticky hydrogel slows drug release 20x, extends treatment span
Researchers at Rice University have developed a novel peptide hydrogel platform called SABER (self-assembling boronate ester release) that significantly slows drug release, extending treatment duration by up to 20 times. SABER works by forming a three-dimensional net that temporarily traps drug molecules, allowing for gradual release. This system is versatile, effective for a range of drugs from small molecules to large biologics like insulin and antibodies. In mouse studies, a single SABER injection of a tuberculosis drug outperformed nearly daily oral doses over two weeks, and insulin delivered via SABER controlled blood sugar for six days compared to the usual four-hour effect of conventional insulin. The hydrogel is biocompatible, dissolving safely after injection without toxic byproducts. The SABER platform was developed through interdisciplinary collaboration, combining chemistry and biomedical engineering expertise. The concept originated from dynamic covalent bonds used in glucose sensors, adapted to create a "sticky" hydrogel that controls drug release timing and location. The research team is
materialshydrogeldrug-deliverypeptide-hydrogelbiomedical-engineeringcontrolled-releaseSABER-platformNew super-strong hydrogel can help advance biomedical and marine tech
Researchers at Hokkaido University have developed a new super-strong hydrogel with record-breaking underwater adhesive strength, capable of supporting objects weighing up to 139 pounds (63 kg) on a postage-stamp-sized patch. This hydrogel, inspired by adhesive proteins found in diverse organisms such as archaea, bacteria, viruses, and eukaryotes, was designed by analyzing nearly 25,000 natural adhesive proteins using data mining and machine learning techniques. By replicating key amino acid sequences responsible for underwater adhesion, the team synthesized 180 unique polymer networks, with machine learning further optimizing the hydrogel’s adhesive properties. The resulting material exhibits instant, strong, and repeatable adhesion across various surfaces and water conditions, including fresh and saltwater. The hydrogel’s adhesive strength was demonstrated through practical tests, such as holding a rubber duck firmly on a seaside rock despite ocean tides and waves, and instantly sealing a leaking pipe with a patch that could be reapplied multiple times without loss of effectiveness. Its
materialshydrogelunderwater-adhesionbiomedical-engineeringpolymer-networksmachine-learningbioinspired-materialsScientists mimic young tissue to reverse ageing in the heart
Researchers at the National University of Singapore, led by Assistant Professor Jennifer Young, have developed a novel lab-grown biomaterial called DECIPHER that mimics the heart’s extracellular matrix (ECM) to reverse ageing effects in heart tissue. Instead of targeting heart cells directly, the team focused on the ECM—a protein-rich scaffold that supports cells and regulates their behavior but stiffens and malfunctions with age, contributing to heart decline. DECIPHER combines natural heart tissue with a synthetic hydrogel, allowing independent control of the ECM’s stiffness and biochemical signals, which was previously difficult to achieve. Using DECIPHER, the researchers demonstrated that aged heart cells cultured on scaffolds replicating youthful biochemical cues exhibited rejuvenation, even when the scaffold remained stiff. Conversely, young heart cells exposed to aged ECM biochemical signals showed early dysfunction regardless of stiffness, highlighting that biochemical environment plays a more critical role than stiffness in aged cell decline. These findings suggest that restoring youthful biochemical signals in the ECM could reverse heart ageing, while controlling stiffness might
materialsbiomaterialstissue-engineeringextracellular-matrixhydrogelheart-regenerationanti-aging-researchMIT scientists make hydrogel to pull water from air with zero power
MIT scientists have developed an innovative, origami-inspired hydrogel device that passively harvests clean drinking water from atmospheric moisture without requiring any external power source. The black, window-sized panel, made from a water-absorbent hydrogel enclosed in a glass chamber with a cooling polymer coating, exploits natural temperature fluctuations between night and day to absorb and then release water vapor. Tested in California’s Death Valley, one of the driest places on Earth, the prototype successfully extracted up to 160 milliliters of water daily even at low humidity levels (around 21%), demonstrating its effectiveness in arid environments. The hydrogel’s unique composition, stabilized with glycerol to prevent salt leakage, ensures the collected water remains safe to drink without the need for additional filtration. Its dome-shaped, bubble wrap–like surface design increases absorption efficiency by maximizing surface area. Unlike previous technologies that depend on electricity, batteries, or solar panels, this device operates autonomously, making it particularly suitable for resource-limited
materialshydrogelwater-harvestingclean-water-technologyenergy-free-devicesustainable-materialsMIT-innovation