Laboratory of Functional Gel Materials

The research interests of the group focus on the design and synthesis of advanced multifunctional gel materials and their practical applications. We aim to modify polymer gels to impart specific properties, striving for these materials to be sensitive to external stimuli. These properties include undergoing volume phase transitions (a reversible transition that can cause significant volume changes of up to three orders of magnitude) under specified conditions, releasing active substances in a controlled manner, degrading under specific conditions, self-assembling, self-healing, and sorbing certain chemical compounds. Our research is interdisciplinary as it encompasses material chemistry, polymer chemistry, organic chemistry, electrochemistry, analytical chemistry, biology, pharmacy, medicine, environmental protection, and art conservation. One of the key areas of our research is the development of gel materials that respond to electrical stimuli, whose size and shape can be controlled by an electric impulse. These materials are particularly interesting in the construction of soft actuators and can serve as prototypes for artificial muscles. We also synthesize gel materials that serve as interfaces between living organisms and electronics. This research aims to create information carriers between biological systems and electronic devices, which is a key aspect of bioelectronics. Our research interests also focus on micro- and nanogel systems for controlled release, which release active substances in response to changes in temperature, pH, and glutathione or glucose concentration. We functionalize the surfaces of these materials, for example with vitamin B12, to target cancer cells. Additionally, we construct systems in which the release process is controlled by an electrical stimulus, which is particularly useful for transdermal systems and implants. We are also interested in gel materials for selective surface cleaning, which is particularly important in the conservation of artworks. We have developed a nanocomposite organogel that is successfully used for cleaning oil paintings. This material is characterized by exceptional mechanical strength and is capable of absorbing and retaining specific solvent mixtures, and its transparency allows for direct monitoring of the cleaning process. We are developing materials for use in epidermal motion sensors, enabling the monitoring of body movements and speech recognition in real time. We are designing new hydrogels with specific mechanical properties and conductivity, which depend on the extent of elongation/deformation of the gel and its ability to self-repair in case of mechanical damage. Additionally, we are working on hydrogel dressings for wounds that support the healing process. We also deal with modifying conductive surfaces (electrodes) with functional gel films, creating sensors, biosensors, and ON-OFF type electrodes for the detection and determination of compounds such as hydrogen peroxide, glucose, or oxygen.