G-POSS connected double network starch gels for protein release.

Starch is one of the most frequently preferred natural polymers in hydrogel synthesis. Herein, we combined two strategies of associating brittle and ductile networks in a structure and incorporating inorganic particles into the polymeric gel to design mechanically enhanced nanocomposite double network (DN) starch gels. For the first time in the literature, nanocomposite starch gels (s-NC) were designed by cross-linking starch chains with 8-armed glycidyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (g-POSS) units.

Cyclodextrin-linked PVP/PEG supramolecular hydrogels.

Herein, we developed supramolecular hydrogels by using cyclodextrin (CD) molecules as crosslinking domains to hold poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) chains in a network structure. The presence of PVP surrounding α-CD-PEG inclusion complexes through hydrogen bonds resulted in water-insoluble gels. Feed ratios of the reaction components and the molecular weight of the PEG chains were found considerably essential to adjust the properties of the final networks.