The technology

This invention uses a highly efficient Michael-addition reaction to produce dendrimer hydrogels with modular physical and chemical properties. These new hydrogels have controlled mechanical property, network structure and swelling behavior. The production process is rapid without the use of a catalyst. The hydrogels are modulated to react to certain stimuli properties such as pH, light, enzymes and heat, to name a few. The gelation of the hydrogel shows a very high efficiency due to the reaction implemented. This novel hydrogel has multiple facets which can be applied to fields such as controlled drug delivery, targeted cell adhesion and tissue engineering.

Figure 1. The structure, property, and application of the novel dendrimer hydrogels.