KU Hydrogel Lab

Research Overview

Specific descriptions in Ongoing Projects

Hydrogels are hydrophilic, crosslinked polymers that swell in water but cannot dissolve because of their network structure. They are fascinating materials with a wide variety of applications; everyday examples include gelatin and soft contact lenses. Hydrogels are key components of consumer products like diapers, biochemical separation techniques, pharmaceutical delivery systems and medical devices such as artificial organs. The utility of hydrogels lies in their ability to absorb large amounts of water and to influence the mass transfer of solutes.

This research involves the theoretical and experimental study of the thermodynamics, sorption and desorption kinetics, solute permeability and mechanical properties of various gels with important scientific and industrial uses. Novel gels with unique properties and applications are also synthesized and characterized; for example, gels that expand and contract with small changes in temperature and gels that can absorb solvent almost instantly have been developed in our lab. Applications of gels in pharmacy and biotechnology receive particular emphasis. Drug delivery applications are described below; gel-based techniques for protein purification examined include chromatography, gel electrophoresis, and aqueous two-phase extraction. Our research goals are to understand and improve these techniques as well as to develop novel techniques for protein isolation and purification using hydrogels.