Latest Advances in Cryogel Technology for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

There exists a technological need for advanced materials with improved properties for emerging biomedical applications. Recent developments in macroporous materials have demonstrated their applicability as indispensable tools in biomedical research. Cryogels, which are materials with a macroporous 3D structure, are produced as a result of controlled freezing during polymerization with a highly interconnected polymer network. Cryogels’ interest lies in their ability to address some of the limitations of their hydrogel analogues. In this review, hydrogel and cryogel basic concepts are discussed as a short primer for readers unfamiliar with the cryogels literature. Next, a general overview of the methods for synthesis and characterization of cryogels is provided, highlighting key concepts relevant to cryogels and explaining their unique properties. Finally an in‐depth overview of specific technologies and fields where cryogels have been applied is given. It is argued that the latest advances in cryogel technologies are able to address challenges in bioseparation, tissue engineering, and other emerging bioengineering disciplines.

Preparation of supermacroporous cryogels with improved mechanical strength for efficient purification of lysozyme from chicken egg white

“…Benefitting from their large and interconnected pores, cryogel monoliths are capable of processing nonclarified, viscous feedstreams, including blood, plasma, and fermentation broth, alongside plant and animal extracts [23,24], which could not be processed by traditional chromatographic mediums involving packed beads without high backpressures or clogging [25–27]. Additionally, monolithic cryogels exhibit high elasticity and compressibility [28,29], which allow for lab operation at high velocities with low backpressure and decreasing processing time [30]. Even under high compression, the cryogel pores remain open, allowing the feedstreams to flow without backpressure formation.…”

Properties of conductive polymer hydrogels and their application in sensors

“…Conductive polymer cryogels with microporous structures, a kind of special CPHs prepared at subzero temperature, having been absolutely necessary tools in biomedical research . They have outstanding properties such as macroporosity, elasticity of tissue samples, and biocompatibility, which are beneficial to their applications in the field of microbiology .…”

Cryogelation and Cryogels

“…Cryogenic processes are increasingly being utilized to create unique polymeric materials that tackle challenges mainly in the biomedical arena, environmental science, and field of food technology. Cryogelation is a process in which gelation occurs under semi-frozen conditions, leading to a polymer network cross-linked around ice crystals [1,2]. Subsequent thawing of ice crystals leaves behind a polymeric material with an interconnected, macroporous network surrounded by a highly dense polymer wall.…”

“…This material is commonly called a cryogel. In a biomedical setting, unlike conventional nanoporous hydrogels, cryogels allow unhindered diffusion of solutes of practically any size and promote infiltration, trafficking, and survival of mammalian cells [1,2]. When used as matrices for bioseparations, cryogels enable faster flow rates and subsequently faster separations when compared to conventional solid adsorbent materials [2].…”

“…In a biomedical setting, unlike conventional nanoporous hydrogels, cryogels allow unhindered diffusion of solutes of practically any size and promote infiltration, trafficking, and survival of mammalian cells [1,2]. When used as matrices for bioseparations, cryogels enable faster flow rates and subsequently faster separations when compared to conventional solid adsorbent materials [2]. Furthermore, the interconnected macropores and densely cross-linked polymer walls confer cryogels with exceptional elasticity and shape-memory properties, allowing them to be syringe injected through hypodermic needles [1,3].…”