A New and Innovative Hydrogel Created at the University of Groningen
- Viola Duroni
- Jan 29
- 2 min read
Hydrogels are not a new concept, yet the ones developed by PhD candidate Zeyu Zang and his supervisor, Professor Patrizio Raffa, stand out for their exceptional water resistance, flexibility, and self-repairing properties.
Hydrogels have a wide range of applications. The most well-known examples include contact lenses and kitchen gelatin. However, due to their unique properties, they are also used in more advanced projects, such as seismic event sensors and, more recently, in e-health applications.
What Is a Hydrogel?
To understand what a hydrogel is, it is first necessary to explain what polymers are. Professor Raffa tells The Glass Room, "Polymers are substances that make up many common materials, such as plastics and rubbers." Some of these polymers with specific characteristics serve as the base for hydrogels.
The polymers that form hydrogels have the particular ability to keep large amounts of water. Many of these are found in everyday items, like kitchen gelatin. As the name suggests, hydrogels consist of 90% water and 10% polymers, which provide consistency. Due to their high water content, hydrogels are highly elastic, making them suitable for medical applications and tissue engineering.
Zeyu's Hydrogel
"Hydrogels have been used before, but there is now significant interest in exploring their potential in the medical field, specifically in e-health," explains Professor Raffa. With the right mechanisms and equipment, the hydrogel developed by Zeyu and Raffa could monitor various vital functions. For instance, when applied to the skin, it could provide real-time health data, potentially aiding in the recovery of muscles and bones after an injury. "My goal is to develop a hydrogel that can benefit society," Zeyu tells The Glass Room.
One of the project's major innovations is the hydrogel's improved resistance to extreme temperatures. Traditional hydrogels, mostly made of water, are sensitive to cold, which can cause them to freeze and overheat, leading to evaporation. Zeyu's hydrogel, however, is designed to withstand such temperature variations, allowing for broader applications.
Furthermore, these hydrogels show a major water resistance, making them suitable for underwater communication. "Being resistant to water, these hydrogels could be used through finger movements underwater to transmit messages, such as Morse code, to the nearest rescue teams in emergencies," explains Professor Raffa.
Monitoring Vibrations and Infrastructure
Lastly, hydrogels have the potential to become essential to every building in Groningen due to their ability to capture seismic vibrations. "I have recently been contacted by someone working on smart buildings here in Groningen," Raffa reveals to The Glass Room. "They are interested in discussing the possibility of using this hydrogel to monitor historical buildings in Groningen and detect structural changes following earthquakes."
Zeyu and Raffa emphasize the importance of curiosity and a step-by-step approach in projects like these, gradually improving hydrogels to enhance their functionality across various applications.
"Our next goal," says Zeyu, "is to make them more eco-friendly, biodegradable, and composed of materials suitable for direct contact with the human body."
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