Multipurpose smart hydrogel systems

This paper represents the review of the last investigations in the field of smart polymeric hydrogels and our contribution to this matter. New hydrogel systems and nanocomposites based on acrylic monomers (acrylamide, acrylonitrile, acrylic acid, N-isopropylacrylamide etc.) with incorporated nanosized colloidal silver, hydroxyapatite and carbon nanotubes with a new set of properties have been obtained and examined. These systems can sharply change their characteristics when minor external physical (electric and magnetic fields, temperature etc.) or chemical (pH, ionic strength) stimuli are applied. Such stimulus-responsive polymeric systems are very promising from the standpoint of different medical applications, especially for the development of intelligent drug delivery systems. On the base of designed hydrogel iontophoretic transdermal therapeutic systems, endoprosthesis for the replacement of bone tissue and hydrogel burns coatings with immobilized mesenchymal cells were obtained and tested. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.