A cartilage mimetic gel includes double network hydrogels. The double network hydrogels comprise a first crosslinked network and a second crosslinked network. The first crosslinked network can be formed from poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid). The second crosslinked network can be formed from poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-acrylamide).

A cartilage mimetic gel includes double network hydrogels. The double network hydrogels comprise a first crosslinked network and a second crosslinked network. The first crosslinked network can be formed from poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid). The second crosslinked network can be formed from poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-acrylamide).

The present disclosure describes, in part, an enzyme-mediated radical initiating system and methods of using the system to produce polymers, including polymeric hydrogels, at ambient conditions.

The present disclosure describes, in part, an enzyme-mediated radical initiating system and methods of using the system to produce polymers, including polymeric hydrogels, at ambient conditions.

The present invention relates to biodegradable polyethylene glycol based water-insoluble hydrogels comprising backbone moieties which are interconnected by hydrolytically degradable bonds, the backbone moieties further comprising reactive functional groups, wherein the water-insoluble hydrogel is further characterized in that the ratio between the time period for the complete degradation of the hydrogel by hydrolysis of the degradable bonds into water-soluble degradation products comprising one or more backbone moieties and the time period for the release of the first 10 mol-% of water-soluble degradation products comprising one or more backbone moieties based on the total amount of backbone moieties in the hydrogel is greater than 1 and equal to or less than 2. The invention further relates to conjugates of such hydrogels with ligands or ligating groups, prodrugs and pharmaceutical compositions as well as their use in a medicament.

The present invention relates to biodegradable polyethylene glycol based water-insoluble hydrogels comprising backbone moieties which are interconnected by hydrolytically degradable bonds, the backbone moieties further comprising reactive functional groups, wherein the water-insoluble hydrogel is further characterized in that the ratio between the time period for the complete degradation of the hydrogel by hydrolysis of the degradable bonds into water-soluble degradation products comprising one or more backbone moieties and the time period for the release of the first 10 mol-% of water-soluble degradation products comprising one or more backbone moieties based on the total amount of backbone moieties in the hydrogel is greater than 1 and equal to or less than 2. The invention further relates to conjugates of such hydrogels with ligands or ligating groups, prodrugs and pharmaceutical compositions as well as their use in a medicament.

A single-screw extruder for changing a morphology of superabsorbent polymer gel. The single-screw extruder has an input aperture, a channel, a screw and an output aperture. The screw in the invention has a first pitch value of a pitch of the screw flights along the conveying zone of the channel and, following in conveying direction, has a second pitch value of the pitch of the screw flights along the conveying zone of the channel, where the second pitch value is smaller than the first pitch value.

A single-screw extruder for changing a morphology of superabsorbent polymer gel. The single-screw extruder has an input aperture, a channel, a screw and an output aperture. The screw in the invention has a first pitch value of a pitch of the screw flights along the conveying zone of the channel and, following in conveying direction, has a second pitch value of the pitch of the screw flights along the conveying zone of the channel, where the second pitch value is smaller than the first pitch value.

The invention provides a method for rapid gelation of a silk fibroin solution under physiological conditions. The method comprises steps of: (1) weighing NapFF solid powder into a glass vial and adding ultrapure water; (2) adding a NaOH solution, dissolving and heating for 1-2 min at 70° C. to form a transparent solution; (3) slowly adding a HCl solution and stirring until the pH is 7.2-7.5; (4) adding a silk fibroin solution; (5) adding ultrapure water to set the volume to 200 μL; and (6) standing horizontally, and observing the gelation process by tilting and inverting the glass vial. In the invention a low concentration of silk fibroin solution can be induced to rapidly gelate in a short time. The silk fibroin gel can be degraded by proteolytic hydrolysis in human body, has no toxic side effects, has good biocompatibility, and thus can be used as a good biomaterial.

The invention provides a method for rapid gelation of a silk fibroin solution under physiological conditions. The method comprises steps of: (1) weighing NapFF solid powder into a glass vial and adding ultrapure water; (2) adding a NaOH solution, dissolving and heating for 1-2 min at 70° C. to form a transparent solution; (3) slowly adding a HCl solution and stirring until the pH is 7.2-7.5; (4) adding a silk fibroin solution; (5) adding ultrapure water to set the volume to 200 μL; and (6) standing horizontally, and observing the gelation process by tilting and inverting the glass vial. In the invention a low concentration of silk fibroin solution can be induced to rapidly gelate in a short time. The silk fibroin gel can be degraded by proteolytic hydrolysis in human body, has no toxic side effects, has good biocompatibility, and thus can be used as a good biomaterial.