Recent development in the visualization of microgels

Abstract

Hydrogel microspheres (microgels) are water-swollen, soft colloidal particles composed of cross-linked hydrophilic or amphiphilic polymer chains. Due to their fascinating properties such as biocompatibility, colloidal stability, and rapid stimulus responsivity, microgels are expected to find numerous applications in a wide variety of fields. The understanding and development of microgels with colloidal-sized dimensions has been propelled in particular by visualization techniques. Their history and recent progress in microgel evaluation using such visualization techniques are summarized in this review.