Application of Organic Gel on Skin Realized by Hydrogel/Organic Gel Adhesion

Macromol Rapid Commun. 2024 Oct;45(20):e2400371. doi: 10.1002/marc.202400371. Epub 2024 Jun 25.

Abstract

Diversity in solvent selection bestows the organic gel with appealing characteristics embracing antidrying, anti-icing, and antifouling abilities. However, organic gel, subjected to the "toxic" inherent property of solvent, is not able to be manipulated on skin. Herein, introducing the hydrogel layer amid organic gel and skin is envisaged to realize application of organic gel on skin. Hydrogel, inserted as the medium layer, works for the coupling role between skin and organic gel, also avoids the direct contact of organic gel toward skin. First, hydrogel system composed of acrylic acid is fabricated, meanwhile organic gel is prepared employing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, ethylene glycol (EG) as solvent. Organic gel is able to adhere to hydrogel by hydrogen bonding resulting from carboxyl groups of polyacrylic acid chains and hydroxyl groups occurring on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate or EG. Additionally, hydrogen bonding enables the hydrogel to be firmly attached to skin, thus organic gel/hydrogel/skin assembly is produced. The further application of organic gel is exploited by incorporating stimuli-responsive dyes including spiropyran and rhodamine derivative.

Keywords: adhesion; hydrogel; organic gel; stimuli‐responsiveness.

MeSH terms

  • Acrylates / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Hydrogels* / chemical synthesis
  • Hydrogels* / chemistry
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Methacrylates* / chemistry
  • Molecular Structure
  • Skin
  • Solvents / chemistry

Substances

  • Hydrogels
  • hydroxyethyl methacrylate
  • Methacrylates
  • Acrylates
  • acrylic acid
  • Solvents