Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Tough Hydrogels with Different Toughening Mechanisms and Applications

This review examines advances in engineering tough hydrogels that can withstand significant mechanical stress, mimicking the properties of load-bearing biological tissues like cartilage and muscle. Researchers summarized various toughening strategies including double-network designs and nanocomposite reinforcement. The study highlights the potential of these materials for biomedical applications such as tissue engineering, wound healing, and soft robotics.

2024 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthetic Polymer-based Hydrogels and Properties

Researchers reviewed the synthesis, properties, and applications of synthetic polymer-based hydrogels, summarizing advances in zwitterionic and hybrid formulations that overcome brittleness and poor toughness to enable uses from drug delivery to neural interfaces and bioelectronic devices.

2026 Qo‘qon DPI Ilmiy xabarlar jurnali
Article Tier 2

Synthesis of Biocomposite of Kappa Carrageenan and Polyvinyl Alcohol for Bioplastic

Researchers synthesized biocomposite films from kappa carrageenan and polyvinyl alcohol crosslinked with glutaraldehyde, incorporating chitosan to determine the optimal formulation based on mechanical properties and swelling behavior. The study characterized how varying the ratios of these biopolymers affected film performance, supporting development of sustainable bioplastic alternatives.

2025 The Eurasia Proceedings of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics
Article Tier 2

New Structural Nanocomposite Based on PLGA and Al2O3 NPs as a Balance between Antibacterial Activity and Biocompatibility with Eukaryotic Cells

Researchers developed a PLGA polymer nanocomposite incorporating aluminum oxide nanoparticles and found it exhibited both antibacterial activity and biocompatibility with eukaryotic cells. The material maintained structural integrity while providing antimicrobial protection, positioning it as a candidate for eco-friendly biodegradable packaging with antimicrobial function.

2022 Journal of Composites Science 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Preparation of nanochitin hydrogels via ice templated chemical/physical crosslinking for microplastic removal

Researchers synthesized nanochitin hydrogels using ice-templated chemical and physical crosslinking with formaldehyde and ammonia, producing materials with enhanced mechanical properties that effectively captured microplastics from water.

2025 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioinspired Mechanical Materials—Development of High-Toughness Ceramics through Complexation of Calcium Phosphate and Organic Polymers

This review examines bioinspired development of high-toughness ceramic materials through complexation of calcium phosphate with organic polymers, drawing on bone formation mechanisms where nanoscale carbonated apatite crystals interact with collagen to create organic-inorganic interfaces that absorb external loads.

2023 Ceramics 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Hydrogels: A Comprehensive Review of Structure, Properties, and Multifaceted Applications

This review provides a systematic overview of hydrogel classification, cross-linking mechanisms, and properties, examining their applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, soft robotics, and sustainable agriculture, and discussing stimuli-responsive behavior and emerging directions in the field.

2025 Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics
Article Tier 2

Methods of extraction, physicochemical properties of alginates and their applications in biomedical field – a review

This review covers the extraction methods, properties, and biomedical applications of alginates, natural polysaccharides derived from brown seaweed. Researchers highlight how extraction parameters affect alginate quality and how these biopolymers can be formed into fibers, films, hydrogels, and foams for wound management and pharmaceutical use. The study notes that alginates are biodegradable and biocompatible, making them a promising material for reducing reliance on synthetic plastics in certain applications.

2019 Open Chemistry 163 citations
Article Tier 2

Significance of biopolymer-based hydrogels and their applications in agriculture: a review in perspective of synthesis and their degree of swelling for water holding

Researchers reviewed the development and agricultural applications of hydrogels made from natural biopolymers, which are biodegradable alternatives to synthetic plastics. These hydrogels can retain large amounts of water and deliver nutrients or active compounds to soil in a controlled way. The study suggests that biopolymer hydrogels could help improve crop yields while reducing the environmental burden of synthetic plastic materials in agriculture.

2023 RSC Advances 153 citations
Article Tier 2

Water-Content-Dependent Switching of the Bending Behavior of Photoresponsive Hydrogels Composed of Hydrophilic Acrylamide-Based Main Chains and Hydrophobic Azobenzene

This materials study developed hydrogels that respond to both light and water content, with potential applications in soft robotics and drug delivery. Smart hydrogel materials represent an emerging class of polymers whose environmental fate and potential for microplastic generation warrant study.

2023 Gels 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Safely Dissolvable and Healable Active Packaging Films Based on Alginate and Pectin

Researchers developed active packaging films from alginate and pectin biocomposites that are safely dissolvable in water, self-healing, and exhibit mechanical properties comparable to commercial packaging films, offering a potential biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastics.

2019 Polymers 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microcrystalline cellulose on some performance properties of chitosan aerogels

Researchers developed bio-based aerogels from chitosan reinforced with microcrystalline cellulose, testing their physical and mechanical properties. This work explores sustainable, biodegradable materials that could reduce reliance on conventional petroleum-based plastics.

2021 Maderas Ciencia y tecnología 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis, Characterization, and Evaluation of Silver Nanoparticle-Loaded Carboxymethyl Chitosan with Sulfobetaine Methacrylate Hydrogel Nanocomposites for Biomedical Applications

Researchers created a new nanocomposite hydrogel by embedding silver nanoparticles within a chitosan-based material for potential biomedical uses. The material showed strong antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria while maintaining good biocompatibility with human cells. The study suggests this type of nanocomposite could be useful for wound dressing and other medical applications where infection control is important.

2024 Polymers 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Polysacharide-based Materials as Support for

Researchers developed polysaccharide-based scaffolds loaded with microplastic-degrading bacteria, using sodium alginate with calcium chloride cross-linking to create biocarriers that support microorganism activity and offer a biological treatment approach for removing microplastics from wastewater.

2025 Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology)
Article Tier 2

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Networks with Dynamic Covalent Bonds: Synthesis and Characterization

Researchers synthesized a biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) network with dynamic chemical bonds that degrade under environmental conditions, making it a candidate to replace microplastic-generating polyolefins in packaging and agriculture. The study characterizes its thermal and mechanical properties for practical applications.

2023 ACS Applied Polymer Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Review on the strategies for enhancing mechanical properties of bacterial cellulose

This review synthesizes strategies for improving the mechanical properties of bacterial cellulose, examining how modifications to the biopolymer's three-dimensional nanonetwork structure — including porosity, fiber arrangement, and crosslinking chemistry — can enhance its strength and toughness for biomedical and materials applications.

2022 2 citations
Article Tier 2

A Comparative Study Between Gelatin Methacrylate and Itaconic Acid Functionalized Gelatin Hydrogels

This paper is not about microplastic pollution. It compares two types of gelatin-based hydrogels (GelMA and a new itaconic acid variant) for biomedical applications like drug delivery and tissue engineering. It is a false positive in this dataset.

2024 Trepo - Institutional Repository of Tampere University
Article Tier 2

Crosslinked Polymer Coatings of Poly (Acrylic Acid-co-acrylamide)/Polyethyleneimine (P(AA-co-AAm)/PEI) on Titanium Alloy with Excellent Lubrication Performance for Artificial Joints

Not relevant to microplastics — this study develops a hydrogel polymer coating for titanium alloy joint implants to reduce friction and wear, a biomedical engineering application with no connection to microplastic pollution.

2023 Coatings 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Progress, challenge and perspective of hydrogels application in food: a review

Researchers reviewed how hydrogels — water-absorbing polymer networks — can be engineered to detect and remove food contaminants including microplastics, heavy metals, and pesticides, as well as to extend food shelf life. While hydrogels show broad promise for food safety applications, the review notes challenges around scalability and the need for further real-world testing.

2025 npj Science of Food 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Development and characterization of a carboxymethyl cellulose-alginate hybrid superabsorbent hydrogel designed for water management in agriculture

Researchers formulated a carboxymethyl cellulose and sodium alginate hydrogel for agricultural water retention, optimizing it to absorb over 1,600 times its weight in water while remaining thermally stable and reusable — offering a bio-based alternative to synthetic superabsorbent polymers that contribute to microplastic pollution in farmland soils.

2025 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Sifat Fisik dan Mekanik Bioplastik Komposit dari Alginat dan Karagenan

Researchers developed a bioplastic composite from alginate and carrageenan — both derived from seaweed — and tested how varying carrageenan content affected its physical and mechanical properties. Higher carrageenan content improved strength and flexibility. Seaweed-based bioplastics could replace conventional plastics in packaging applications while reducing plastic pollution.

2022 Journal of Marine Research 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Agar Biopolymer Films for Biodegradable Packaging: A Reference Dataset for Exploring the Limits of Mechanical Performance

Researchers developed a reference dataset for agar biopolymer films as biodegradable packaging alternatives, systematically testing mechanical performance with different plasticizer concentrations and providing a design-of-experiments framework to help optimize film properties for practical packaging applications.

2022 Materials 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Advancement In Mechanical Properties of Bioplastics Using Brown Algae and Eggshells— A Sustainable Method

Researchers developed a bioplastic using sodium alginate from brown algae and calcium carbonate from eggshells, testing its tensile strength, water absorption, and biodegradability as a sustainable alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics.

2025 Innovative Journal of Applied Science
Article Tier 2

Effect of surfactant concentration on the synthesis of hydrogel microbeads using the emulsion polymerization process for acrylamide/acrylic acid copolymers

Researchers examined the effect of surfactant concentration on the synthesis of hydrogel microbeads as biodegradable replacements for the plastic microbeads commonly used in personal care and cosmetic products, optimising formulation parameters to produce spherical particles with properties suitable for exfoliant applications.

2025 E3S Web of Conferences