Novel injectable materials for non-invasive surgical procedures are becoming increasingly popular. An advantage of these materials include easy deliverability into the body, however the suitability of their mechanical properties must also be carefully considered. Injectable biomaterials covers the materials, properties and biomedical applications of injectable materials, as well as novel developments in the technology.Part one focuses on materials and properties, with chapters covering the design of injectable biomaterials as well as their rheological properties and the mechanical properties of injectable polymers and composites. Part two covers the clinical applications of injectable biomaterials, including chapters on drug delivery, tissue engineering and orthopaedic applications as well as injectable materials for gene delivery systems. In part three, existing and developing technologies are discussed. Chapters in this part cover such topics as environmentally responsive biomaterials, injectable nanotechnology, injectable biodegradable materials and biocompatibility. There are also chapters focusing on troubleshooting and potential future applications of injectable biomaterials.With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Injectable biomaterials is a standard reference for materials scientists and researchers working in the biomaterials industry, as well as those with an academic interest in the subject. It will also be beneficial to clinicians. - Comprehensively examines the materials, properties and biomedical applications of injectable materials, as well as novel developments in the technology - Reviews the design of injectable biomaterials as well as their rheological properties and the mechanical properties of injectable polymers and composites - Explores clinical applications of injectable biomaterials, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, orthopaedic applications and injectable materials for gene delivery systems

The functional versatility and endurable self-healing capacity of soft materials in nature is found to originate from the dynamic supramolecular scaffolds assembled via reversible interactions. To mimic this strategy, extensive efforts have been made to design polymer networks with transient crosslinks, which lays the foundation for synthetic self-healing hydrogels. Towards the development of stronger and faster self-healing hydrogels, understanding and controlling the gel network dynamics is of critical importance, since it provides design principles for key properties such as dynamic mechanics and self-healing performance. For this purpose, a universal strategy independent of exact crosslinking chemistry would be regulating the polymer material's dynamic behavior by optimal network design, yet current understanding of the relationship between network structure and macroscopic dynamic mechanics is still limited, and implementation of complex network structure has always been challenging. In this thesis, we show how the dynamic mechanical properties in a hydrogel can be controlled by rational design of polymer network structures. Using mussel-inspired reversible catechol coordination chemistry, we developed a nanocomposite hydrogel network (NP gel) with hierarchical assembly of polymer chains on iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles as network crosslinks. With NP gel as a model system, we first investigated its unique dynamic mechanics in comparison with traditional permanent and dynamic gels, and discovered a general approach to manipulate the network dynamics by controlling the crosslink structural functionality. Then we further explored the underlying relationship between polymer network structure and two key parameters in relaxation mechanics, which elucidated universal approaches for designing relaxation patterns in supramolecular transient gel network. Finally, by utilizing these design principles, we designed a hybrid gel network using two crosslinking structures with distinct relaxation timescales. By simply adjusting the ratio of two crosslinks, we can precisely tune the material's dynamic mechanics from a viscoelastic fluid to a rigid solid. Such controllability in dynamic mechanics enabled performance optimization towards mechanically rigid and fast self-healing hydrogel materials.

This volume covers experimental and theoretical advances on the relationship between composition, structure and macroscopic mechanical properties of novel hydrogels containing dynamic bonds. The chapters of this volume focus on the control of the mechanical properties of several recently discovered gels with the design of monomer composition, chain architecture, type of crosslinking or internal structure. The gels discussed in the different chapters have in common the capability to dissipate energy upon deformation, a desired property for mechanical toughness, while retaining the ability to recover the properties of the virgin material over time or to self-heal when put back in contact after fracture. Some chapters focus on the synthesis and structural aspects while others focus on properties or modelling at the continuum or mesoscopic scale. The volume will be of interest to chemists and material scientists by providing guidelines and general structure-property considerations to synthesize and develop innovative gels tuned for applications. In addition it will provide physicists with a better understanding of the role of weak interactions between molecules and physical crosslinking on macroscopic dissipative properties and self-healing or self-recovering properties.

Both GH and DC hydrogels were further explored in vivo, with application to attenuate the maladaptive left ventricular (LV) remodeling that occurs following myocardial infarction (MI) that can result in heart failure. DC hydrogels reduced stress within the infarct region, prevented early ventricular expansion and thereby ameliorated progressive LV remodeling. Moreover, the preservation of myocardial geometry reduced incidence and severity of ischemic mitral regurgitation — an undesirable and devastating consequence of LV remodeling. Overall, the body of work represents a novel approach to engineer biomaterials with unique properties toward biomedical therapies.

Dynamic soft materials that have the ability to expand and contract, change stiffness, self-heal or dissolve in response to environmental changes, are of great interest in applications ranging from biosensing and drug delivery to soft robotics and tissue engineering. This book covers the state-of-the-art and current trends in the very active and exciting field of bioinspired soft matter, its fundamentals and comprehension from the structural-property point of view, as well as materials and cutting-edge technologies that enable their design, fabrication, advanced characterization and underpin their biomedical applications. The book contents are supported by illustrated examples, schemes, and figures, offering a comprehensive and thorough overview of key aspects of soft matter. The book will provide a trusted resource for undergraduate and graduate students and will extensively benefit researchers and professionals working across the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, polymer chemistry, materials science and engineering, nanosciences, nanotechnologies, nanomedicine, biomedical engineering and medical sciences.

Recent Advances in Biosensor Technology (Volume 1) is a comprehensive guide to the latest developments in biosensor technology, written by experts in bioengineering and biosensor development. The book is an essential resource for researchers and biomedical engineers interested in the latest developments in biosensor technology. The volume covers the applications of biosensors in different fields. It features 9 chapters that cover key themes in this area, including biosensors for natural bioactive compounds, wearable biosensors in healthcare, 3D bioprinting and biosensors, biosensors for neurodegenerative diseases, protein biosensing and pathogen detection, biosensors for diabetes diagnosis, paper-based biosensors in diagnostics, enzymatic biosensors and their applications, and nanobiosensors in agriculture. One of the key features of this book is its detailed discussion of the novel research findings in biosensor technology, providing readers with the most up-to-date information in the field. Each chapter includes a comprehensive review of relevant literature, as well as practical examples to demonstrate the potential applications of biosensors in various fields. Furthermore, this book includes detailed references for further reading, making it an excellent resource for readers looking to deepen their understanding of biosensor technology.

Functional Nanocomposite Hydrogels: Synthesis, Characterization, and Biomedical Applications reviews how the unique properties of nanoscale composite materials make them ideal candidates for use in biomedical hydrogels. The book covers a range of key nanocomposite materials for use in biomedical hydrogels, including graphene quantum dot, cellulose and collagen nanocomposites. A wide selection of biomedical applications for functional nanocomposite hydrogels is explored, from drug delivery and cancer therapy, to wound healing and bioimaging. This is a key reference for those working in the fields of biomaterials, nanotechnology, pharmacology, biomedical engineering, and anyone with a particular interest in composites and hydrogels. To improve the properties of conventional hydrogels, nanoparticles or nanostructures are incorporated into the hydrogel networks, forming a composite hydrogel with specialized functional properties which are tailored to a specific biomedical application.