Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2022 Sep 27;14(19):4037.
doi: 10.3390/polym14194037.

Construction and Ion Transport-Related Applications of the Hydrogel-Based Membrane with 3D Nanochannels

Yushuang Hou  1 , Shuhui Ma  1 , Jinlin Hao  1 , Cuncai Lin  1 , Jiawei Zhao  1 , Xin Sui  1
Affiliations
Review

Construction and Ion Transport-Related Applications of the Hydrogel-Based Membrane with 3D Nanochannels

Yushuang Hou et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

Hydrogel is a type of crosslinked three-dimensional polymer network structure gel. It can swell and hold a large amount of water but does not dissolve. It is an excellent membrane material for ion transportation. As transport channels, the chemical structure of hydrogel can be regulated by molecular design, and its three-dimensional structure can be controlled according to the degree of crosslinking. In this review, our prime focus has been on ion transport-related applications based on hydrogel materials. We have briefly elaborated the origin and source of hydrogel materials and summarized the crosslinking mechanisms involved in matrix network construction and the different spatial network structures. Hydrogel structure and the remarkable performance features such as microporosity, ion carrying capability, water holding capacity, and responsiveness to stimuli such as pH, light, temperature, electricity, and magnetic field are discussed. Moreover, emphasis has been made on the application of hydrogels in water purification, energy storage, sensing, and salinity gradient energy conversion. Finally, the prospects and challenges related to hydrogel fabrication and applications are summarized.

Keywords: 3D structure; hydrogels; ion channels.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Synthesis routes of chemical cross-linked PAAc hydrogel networks by ray initiation. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [44]. (b) Mechanism of physical cross-linked hydrogel formation in PVA aqueous solution by the freezing-thawing method. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [46]. (c) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of hydrogel formed by single freezing-thawing (left) and three freezing-thawing cycles (right). Reprinted with permission from Ref. [47]. (d) Comparison of polymer chain composition of a single network and double network hydrogels. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [49].
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a) Phase transition of polymer chain during swelling. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [75]. (b) Magnetothermal phenomena of hydrogels doped with magnetic particles. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [78]. (c) Hydrogel volume changes by azo-based light response. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [81].
Figure 7
Figure 7
(a) Sulfonomethyl treatment of lignin. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [95]. (b) SEM micrographs of SA-g-PNaA (left) and SA-g-PNaA/PVA (right). Reprinted with permission from Ref. [98]. (c) Schematic diagram of Ti3C2Tx MXene coated vertical channel reduced graphene oxide (A-RGO) hydrogel. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [100]. (d) Exhibition of hierarchical channel structure in the hydrogel. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [101].
Figure 8
Figure 8
(a) A hydrogel generator that mimics an electric eel cell. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [110]. (b) The conductivity and power output of the two channels were compared under PNP simulation. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [112].
Figure 9
Figure 9
(a) Hydrogen bonding between CNF and PAM. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [114]. (b) Simulation of hydrogel/ANF heterogeneous membrane. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [119]. (c) Schematic diagram of gradient structure presented by hydrogel membrane. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [122].
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Heat dissipation mechanism of polyacrylamide-alginate hybrid hydrogels layers when exposed to open fire. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [56]. (b) Four factors are involved in the relationship between water content and the adhesion energy of hydrogel. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [57]. (c) Polymer chain slip or host–guest interaction in hydrogels with different water contents. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [58].
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Typical hydrogel pore morphology obtained by controlling ice crystal growth. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [63]. (b) SEM cross-section of regular PVA hydrogels obtained by directional freezing technique. (c) Relationship between freezing rate and pore size. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [64].
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Mechanism of LiCl blocking polymer chain association. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [71]. (b) Simulation diagram of independent anion and cation transport channel. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [72].
Figure 6
Figure 6
Multi-site dye adsorption mechanism diagram of GPPH microspheres. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [89].
Figure 10
Figure 10
(a) Antifreezing schematic of ClO4− ternary interaction with PAM chains and water molecules. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [126]. (b) Mechanism of action of glycerol molecule in antifreeze hydrogel. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [127]. (c) Overstretch and compressibility achieved in dynamic crosslinked networks. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [129]. (d) High deformability of interfacial wetting water hydrogel electrolytes. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [130].
Figure 11
Figure 11
(a) Schematic diagram of double hydrogel protecting skin. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [133]. (b) The breaking mechanism of DNA hydrogel. (c) The principle of wireless communication. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [134].
Figure 12
Figure 12
(a) The principle of hydrogel sensor. (b) The linear relationship between response intensity and oxygen concentration. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [135]. (c) Schematic diagram of moisture resistant oxygen sensor assembled on hydrogel surface using ecoflex porous membrane prepared by sacrificial template. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [136].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Ahmed E.M. Hydrogel: Preparation, characterization, and applications: A review. J. Adv. Res. 2015;6:105–121. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2013.07.006. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Yang C., Suo Z. Hydrogel ionotronics. Nat. Rev. Mater. 2018;3:125–142. doi: 10.1038/s41578-018-0018-7. - DOI
    1. Lee J.B., Peng S., Yang D., Roh Y.H., Funabashi H., Park N., Rice E.J., Chen L., Long R., Wu M., et al. A mechanical metamaterial made from a DNA hydrogel. Nat. Nanotechnol. 2012;7:816–820. doi: 10.1038/nnano.2012.211. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Leng K., Li G., Guo J., Zhang X., Wang A., Liu X., Luo J. A Safe Polyzwitterionic Hydrogel Electrolyte for Long-Life Quasi-Solid State Zinc Metal Batteries. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2020;30:2001317. doi: 10.1002/adfm.202001317. - DOI
    1. Wichterle O., Lim D. Hydrophilic Gels for Biological Use. Nature. 1960;185:117–118. doi: 10.1038/185117a0. - DOI