阿克伦大学(University of Akron)的科学家开发的一种粘稠的、合成的、有弹性的水凝胶，大部分是水，几乎和橡胶水凝胶一样坚韧。该团队正在探索这种基于聚合物的产品在生物医学方面的新用途。化学和生物分子工程副教授郑洁博士，以及Hezzleton E. Simmons教授和聚合物工程主席Robert Weiss博士，是最近对水凝胶研究做出贡献的人之一。水凝胶是一种凝胶状物质，由于其韧性和可塑性，有几个生物医学应用，包括软骨修复，微创手术植入物和药物输送。该团队开发了一种简单、高效、一锅方法(反应发生在一个容器中而不是几个容器中)来合成双网络水凝胶——也就是说，水凝胶由两种聚合物链网络组成，一种是刚性的，另一种是延展性的。该团队不仅提高了这些水凝胶的合成效率，而且使水凝胶更加坚硬。这些水凝胶具有高的力学性能、优异的可回收性能和独特的可自由成形性能，”Weiss说，这使它们有望成为软骨、肌腱、肌肉和血管等负重软组织的替代品。万博平台盘口韦斯还合成了一种更坚固的水凝胶，一种“形状记忆水凝胶”，它可以弯曲、拉伸和固定成临时形状。当暴露于温度、光线、湿度或电场等外部刺激时，形状记忆聚合物会恢复它们原来的永久形状。这些形状记忆水凝胶是热驱动的，这意味着它们在加热时拉伸和改变形状，在冷却时保持这种临时形状。 Biocompatible, shape memory hydrogels have the potential to be used for minimally invasive surgery and drug delivery. For example, a small form of the shape memory hydrogel may be inserted into the body, where, upon absorbing bodily fluids, it expands into the desired shape of the implant, thus filling a wound or replacing tissue. The permeable hydrogels can also be loaded with drugs and placed into the body, where the sponge-like gel biodegrades and releases the drugs from its pores.

由保拉·哈蒙德领导的麻省理工学院研究人员开发了一种新的骨植入粘合剂，可能会改变骨科手术的未来。研究人员使用纳米技术创造了一种能够促进种植体及其周围骨骼生长的种植体涂层。在老鼠身上的实验证明，这种粘合剂的强度是标准骨水泥的4到5倍。表面涂层由含有生长因子BMP-2的纳米层组成。随着时间的推移，骨层分解并释放BMP-2，刺激新的骨细胞生长。底部涂层由骨状陶瓷组成，吸引新的骨细胞。据该研究的主要作者尼沙阿(Nisarg Shah)说，新的骨细胞像“超级胶水”一样附着在陶瓷上。此外，涂层可以定制，以控制BMP-2释放的数量和速度。据《医学日报》报道，当愈合过程需要长时间持续释放激素时，这一点很重要。如今，外科医生使用骨水泥将植入物附着在骨头上，但这种黏合剂聚合物有一些严重的缺陷。 Bone cement often deteriorates over time and fractures. Also, because the body recognizes the cement as foreign, it builds scar tissue around the implant, making it difficult for the bone to attach. Researchers expect the new nanocoating to solve these problems. This new bone implant “superglue” could spare future generations the pain and expense of revision surgeries. The only downside to this orthopedic advancement is the cost of an implant would likely increase. As a result, the new implant coating should first be applied to the elderly and those with preexisting conditions like osteoporosis. Those patients are already at a risk of failure and would benefit more than most implant patients. Professor Hammond anticipates the new implant adhesive will become a product in four to five years following trials with larger animals. Should tests prove successful, the implant nanocoating could transform the field of bone surgery, vastly improving many patients’ quality of life.