A simple approach to hybrid inorganic-organic step-growth hydrogels with scalable control of physicochemical properties and biodegradability

Abstract

We prepared new and scalable, hybrid inorganic-organic step-growth hydrogels with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) network knot construction elements and hydrolytically degradable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) di-ester macromonomers by in situ radical-mediated thiol-ene photopolymerization. The physicochemical properties of the gels are fine-tailored over orders of magnitude including functionalization of their interior, a hierarchical gel structure, and biodegradability.