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Polymer Gel Nanoparticle Networks
Author(s) -
Hu Z.,
Lu X.,
Gao J.,
Wang C.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/1521-4095(200008)12:16<1173::aid-adma1173>3.0.co;2-z
Subject(s) - materials science , polymer , nanoparticle , nanotechnology , polymer science , composite material
A new class of nanostructured polymer gel is reported here, in which polymer nanoparticles, rather than monomers, are covalently crosslinked. Since their building blocks are nanoparticles, the thus formed networks have novel and unique properties compared with conventional gels, for example, a very high surface area for better bioadhesion, and a uniform and tunable mesh size for controlled drug delivery. Several networks are presented, including one with a fast shrinkage rate, a colored network, and a co‐nanoparticle network as a potential multifunctional drug delivery carrier.