Gels and hydrogels - Latest research and news (2025)

Controlled synthesis of noble metal aerogels mediated by salts

A protocol describing the fabrication of seven single-component noble metal aerogels and over ten multicomponent noble metal aerogels, their characterizations and their electrocatalytic applications.

• Beibei Weng
• Xiaoyue Sun
• Ran Du

Fibrous polyisocyanide hydrogels for 3D cell culture applications

Methods to use polyisocyanide as a model matrix for 3D cell culture. Polyisocyanide gels closely mimic the physical properties of biogels such as collagen and fibrin and, as fully synthetic materials, benefit from reproducibility and customizability.

• Hongbo Yuan
• Kaizheng Liu
• Paul H. J. Kouwer

Cell-guiding microporous hydrogels by photopolymerization-induced phase separation

Microporous hydrogels have potential in 3D tissue culture, but precise control over pore formation is challenging. Here, the authors report the use of photopolymerization-induced phase separation to prepare hydrogels suitable for 3D cell culture and bioprinting.

• Monica Z. Müller
• Margherita Bernero
• Xiao-Hua Qin

Chromatic forecasting hydrogels for anti-icing applications

An icing forecast hydrogel device encapsulating ice-nucleating proteins colorimetrically predicts ice formation with high accuracy. The device successfully activated a wind turbine deicing system 70 min before ice accumulation.

• Wenxuan Hou
• Xiaofei Chen
• Zhiyuan He

Unusually long polymers crosslinked by domains of physical bonds

Crosslinked polymers often suffer from increased modulus with decreased fatigue threshold or large hysteresis. Here the authors achieve high modulus, high fatigue threshold, and low hysteresis in a network of unusually long polymer chains crosslinked by domains of physical bonds.

• Xianyang Bao
• Zheqi Chen
• Zhigang Suo

Impact of B and Al on the initial and residual dissolution rate of alumino-boro-silicate glasses. Part II: gel properties

• Mélanie Taron
• Stéphane Gin
• Seong H. Kim

Nutrition labelling of foods should incorporate nutrient release rates

Foods and diets form the basis for preventative approaches that reduce dependence on health systems and improve human wellbeing. Current food labelling is out of step with healthy diet recommendations but could be improved by including predicted nutrient release rates alongside nutrient contents. These rates can help quantify the effects of food processing on nutritional value and identify the fraction of food-derived nutrients available for nourishing the gut microbiota.

• Michael J. Gidley

Shell-reinforced macroporous hydrogels for bone repair

An article in Nature Communications presents a hydrogel with a reinforced macroporous structure designed to guide stem cell differentiation.

• Charlotte Allard

When stars make loopy networks

The high-frequency elastic response reveals interpenetrated and polycatenated structures in DNA nanostar network materials.

• Emanuela Del Gado

Squirting-cucumber-inspired miniature explosive hydrogel launcher

A miniature hydrogel launcher inspired by the squirting cucumber achieves record-high jumping height through water evaporation and fracture-driven power amplification.

• Haitao Qing
• Fangjie Qi
• Jie Yin

External forces align supramolecular materials

Anisotropic gels made from supramolecular nanofibres are formed from mechanical or magnetic forces applied with orchestrated enzymatically-triggered pH changes.

• Matthew J. Harrington

A closed-loop neurostimulation device that reaches new levels

A neurostimulation device with a conformable sensor array can stimulate the brain with ultrasound while minimizing the effect of ultrasound-induced artefacts on signal feedback, allowing for closed-loop control of epileptic seizures.

• Mengge Wu
• Kuanming Yao
• Xinge Yu