Catechol-functionalized hydrogels: biomimetic design, adhesion mechanism, and biomedical applications

Hydrogels are a unique class of polymeric materials that possess an interconnected porous network across various length scales from nano- to macroscopic dimensions and exhibit remarkable structure-derived properties, including high surface area, an accommodating matrix, inherent flexibility, controllable mechanical strength, and excellent biocompatibility. Strong and robust adhesion between hydrogels and substrates is highly desirable for their integration into and subsequent performance in biomedical devices and systems. However, the adhesive behavior of hydrogels is severely weakened by the large amount of water that interacts with the adhesive groups reducing the interfacial interactions. The challenges of…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 51731004, 51903047
• HU
  Huazhong University of Science and Technology

  Award: 3004013118
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province

  Award: BK20180407
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: R15GM104846
• NS
  Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

  Awards: RGPIN-2019-04650, RGPAS-2019-00115
• FR
  Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
• OO
  Office of Naval Research

  Award: N00014-16-1-2463