4D hydrogels: fabrication strategies, stimulation mechanisms, and biomedical applications

Nain, A and Chakraborty, S and Jain, N and Choudhury, S and Chattopadhyay, S and Chatterjee, K and Debnath, S (2024) 4D hydrogels: fabrication strategies, stimulation mechanisms, and biomedical applications. In: Biomaterials Science .

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Abstract

Shape-morphing hydrogels have emerged as a promising biomaterial due to their ability to mimic the anisotropic tissue composition by creating a gradient in local swelling behavior. In this case, shape deformations occur due to the non-uniform distribution of internal stresses, asymmetrical swelling, and shrinking of different parts of the same hydrogel. Herein, we discuss the four-dimensional (4D) fabrication techniques (extrusion-based printing, dynamic light processing, and solvent casting) employed to prepare shape-shifting hydrogels. The important distinction between mono- and dual-component hydrogel systems, the capabilities of 3D constructs to undergo uni- and bi-directional shape changes, and the advantages of composite hydrogels compared to their pristine counterparts are presented. Subsequently, various types of actuators such as moisture, light, temperature, pH, and magnetic field and their role in achieving the desired and pre-determined shapes are discussed. These 4D gels have shown remarkable potential as programmable scaffolds for tissue regeneration and drug-delivery systems. Finally, we present futuristic insights into integrating piezoelectric biopolymers and sensors to harvest mechanical energy from motions during shape transformations to develop self-powered biodevices. © 2024 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Biomaterials Science
Publisher:	Royal Society of Chemistry
Additional Information:	The copyright for this article belongs to Royal Society of Chemistry
Keywords:	Biopolymers; Drug delivery; Fabrication; Magnetic actuators; Medical applications; Scaffolds (biology); Tissue; Tissue regeneration, Biomedical applications; Fabrication strategies; Fabrication technique; Light processing; Non-uniform distribution; Shape deformation; Shape morphing; Stimulation mechanism; Swelling behavior; Tissue composition, Hydrogels
Department/Centre:	Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Centre for Biosystems Science and Engineering Division of Mechanical Sciences > Materials Engineering (formerly Metallurgy)
Date Deposited:	29 Jul 2024 09:18
Last Modified:	29 Jul 2024 09:18
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/85217

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