Gels and hydrogels articles from across Nature Portfolio

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

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

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.

This focus review presents our recent research on enhancing the mechanical properties of gel electrolytes and their application in lithium secondary batteries. It discusses the efforts made to achieve self-healing ion gels, which utilize ionic liquids as the electrolyte solutions. Additionally, the review covers the application of functional gel electrolytes in next-generation lithium secondary batteries. It focuses particularly on improving the cycling performance of lithium metal anodes, which are considered the very promising anode material.

Nanofiber-based hydrogels are useful delivery systems in biomedical applications due to their drug loading capability and controlled release. Here, a biocompatible visible light-triggered in situ-gelling drug delivery system is demonstrated consisting of ascorbyl palmitate nanofibers and gelatin methacryloyl polymer.

Electroceuticals could treat refractory diseases by the selective modulation of peripheral nerves but their utility is hindered by the small sizes and the delicate nature of the nerves. Here, the authors address these issues by developing an injectable, stable, and conductive hydrogel that allows a safer and more effective treatment during chronic neuromodulation of delicate peripheral nerves.

A sensor that consists of a catechol-conjugated alginate hydrogel adhesive, a stretchable 16-channel electrode array and a viscoplastic self-healing polymeric substrate, and is coupled to a pulse-controlled transcranial focused ultrasound device, can be used for closed-loop transcranial ultrasound neurostimulation.

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

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

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.

A bilayer hydrogel sensor is presented for continuous monitoring of solid epidermal biomarkers on human skin.

An article in Nature Materials describes the bioprinting of hydrogel force sensors directly into the tissues of live embryos to quantify the mechanical forces driving morphogenesis.

An article in Nature Communications presents a synthetic biodegradable void-forming hydrogel that supports in vitro formation of 3D networks from human primary cells for bone-on-a-chip applications.