Modular Hydrogels: Tunable, High Modulus Hydrogels Driven by Ionic Coacervation (Adv. Mater. 20/2011)

Craig Hawker, Ed Kramer, and co-workers report on p. 2327 on a modular strategy for hydrogel formation based on the self-organization of welldefined ABA triblock co-polyelectrolytes through ionic interactions in water. The nature of the ionic domains, which constitute the physical crosslinks, provides for robust, yet highly tunable materials. These materials represent a diverse platform for hydrogel formation with enhanced mechanical properties and ease of synthesis while retaining a dynamic responsive nature.