Development of Smart Hydrogel Oscillators

Smart hydrogels have become a popular area of research which covers everything from temperature and pH stimulated gel-based systems [1] to more complex fields such as biomimetic [2] and electrochemical systems [3]. Research on these systems has reinforced the core concept that the ability of these systems to swell and absorb fluids while retaining their structure [4], followed by, the subsequent collapse of the system can enable the pulsatile release of fluids [5]. The swelling of the system enables this technology to be used in the fields of drug delivery and analysis, however, a problem arises when attempting to offer pulsed release at specific intervals [6]. Fixing the lack of specific intervals for pulsed release is where chemical oscillator systems as an actuator within hydrogel based polymeric systems become an exciting area of development for smart hydrogels as it enables a degree of control over the release of a substance.

The aim of this project, by developing the following tasks, is to work towards achieving fully autonomous pulsatile materials. These tasks are as follows:


To test the functionality of chitosan supported palladium catalysts with phenylacetylene (PhAc) as a substrate for carbonylation and ensure that oscillations are present and products are recorded.

To test the functionality of the chitosan supported palladium catalysts with alkyne-functionalised poly (ethylene glycol) (PEGA) and ensure that oscillations are present and recorded and there are no unwanted by-products.

To create an oscillatory chemical system that can operate for long periods under batch conditions within a smart hydrogel matrix constructed of chitosan supported palladium catalyst and PEGA that can oscillate facilitating drug release.

Each task presented above will offer an objective to work toward along with enabling the production of novel research and publishable results; the tasks I have outlined are stages to progress to the key goal of producing and developing a smart hydrogel with a chemical oscillator as an actuator.