Leaderboards/Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications

Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications

Last updated July 15, 2026

Rising Stars

Fresh ink, massive impact

Researchers

1
Vahid Hosseini
Unknown
2
Haniyeh Malektaj
Aalborg University
3
Jiaofeng Xiong
Soochow University
4
Nathan Richbourg
Florida State University
5
Victoria G. Muir
Princeton University
6
Tra Vinikoor
University of Connecticut
7
Mariia A. Kuzina
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
8
Linyu Zhang
Minnan Normal University
9
Pietro Tordi
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
10
Yongyi Zhao
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Papers

1
Preparation and Identification of Magnetic Iron Nanoparticle based on a Natural Hydrogel and its Performance in Targeted Drug Delivery
International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology (IJISRT)|2024
392 cit.
2
Biocompatible Tough Ionogels with Reversible Supramolecular Adhesion
Journal of the American Chemical Society|2024
155 cit.
3
Chitosan/oxidized sodium alginate/Ca2+ hydrogels: Synthesis, characterization and adsorption properties
Food Hydrocolloids|2024
118 cit.
4
Model-based modular hydrogel design
Nature Reviews Bioengineering|2024
70 cit.
5
Double network self-healing hydrogels based on carboxyethyl chitosan/oxidized sodium alginate/Ca2+: Preparation, characterization and application in dye absorption
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules|2024
41 cit.
6
Hydrogels comprising oxidized carboxymethyl cellulose and water-soluble chitosan at varied oxidation levels: Synthesis, characterization, and adsorptive toward methylene blue
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules|2024
27 cit.
7
The Effect of pH on the Viscoelastic Response of Alginate–Montmorillonite Nanocomposite Hydrogels
Molecules|2024
23 cit.
8
Preparation of chitosan derivatives/oxidized carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogels by freeze-thaw method: Synthesis, characterization, and utilization in dye absorption
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules|2024
15 cit.
9
Sustainable biocomposites from pyrolyzed lignin and recycled nylon 6 with enhanced <scp>flame retardant</scp> behavior: Studies on manufacturing and quality performance evaluation
SPE Polymers|2024
12 cit.
10
Multivalent ion-crosslinked alginate–montmorillonite nanocomposite hydrogels for hydrophilic drug release
Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology|2025
7 cit.

Emerging Leaders

Drafting the new consensus

Researchers

1
Jianliang Shen
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
2
Jiaxi Cui
Peking University Shenzhen Hospital
3
Martin Kaltenbrunner
Johannes Kepler University of Linz
4
Laura De Laporte
DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials
5
Chaoji Chen
Wuhan University
6
Xiaohong Niu
Nanjing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital
7
Abbas Rahdar
Zabol University
8
Simon Fan
ZincNyx Energy Solutions (Canada)
9
Xiaohu Zhou
Shenzhen University
10
Sidi A. Bencherif
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Papers

1
Immunoregulation in Diabetic Wound Repair with a Photoenhanced Glycyrrhizic Acid Hydrogel Scaffold
Advanced Materials|2022
698 cit.
2
Engineering Robust Ag‐Decorated Polydopamine Nano‐Photothermal Platforms to Combat Bacterial Infection and Prompt Wound Healing
Advanced Science|2022
501 cit.
3
Strong, tough, ionic conductive, and freezing-tolerant all-natural hydrogel enabled by cellulose-bentonite coordination interactions
Nature Communications|2022
422 cit.
4
An Immunomodulatory Hydrogel by Hyperthermia‐Assisted Self‐Cascade Glucose Depletion and ROS Scavenging for Diabetic Foot Ulcer Wound Therapeutics
Advanced Materials|2023
358 cit.
5
Mitigating metal-organic framework (MOF) toxicity for biomedical applications
Chemical Engineering Journal|2023
269 cit.
6
All-in-one: Harnessing multifunctional injectable natural hydrogels for ordered therapy of bacteria-infected diabetic wounds
Chemical Engineering Journal|2022
224 cit.
7
Inorganic–organic hybrid nanomaterials for photothermal antibacterial therapy
Coordination Chemistry Reviews|2023
224 cit.
8
Ionic Liquid “Water Pocket” for Stable and Environment‐Adaptable Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries
Advanced Materials|2023
204 cit.
9
A Vehicle‐Free Antimicrobial Polymer Hybrid Gold Nanoparticle as Synergistically Therapeutic Platforms for <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Infected Wound Healing
Advanced Science|2022
181 cit.
10
Cellulose nanofiber-mediated manifold dynamic synergy enabling adhesive and photo-detachable hydrogel for self-powered E-skin
Nature Communications|2024
174 cit.

Current Senior Leaders

Wrote the book, still writing it

Researchers

1
Nikolaos A. Peppas
Pediatrics and Genetics
2
Jian Ping Gong
Liaoning University
3
David Mooney
Harvard University
4
Zhigang Suo
Harvard University
5
Teruo Okano
Regenerative Medicine Institute
6
Róbert Langer
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
7
Walter Richtering
RWTH Aachen University
8
Jason A. Burdick
University of Colorado Boulder
9
Aiqin Wang
Henan University of Science and Technology
10
Nicholas A. Peppas
The University of Texas at Austin

Papers

1
Alginate: Properties and biomedical applications
Progress in Polymer Science|2011
7.8k cit.
2
Highly stretchable and tough hydrogels
Nature|2012
5.3k cit.
3
Mechanisms of solute release from porous hydrophilic polymers
International Journal of Pharmaceutics|1983
5.1k cit.
4
Double‐Network Hydrogels with Extremely High Mechanical Strength
Advanced Materials|2003
4.4k cit.
5
A simple equation for description of solute release II. Fickian and anomalous release from swellable devices
Journal of Controlled Release|1987
4k cit.
6
Hydrogels in Biology and Medicine: From Molecular Principles to Bionanotechnology
Advanced Materials|2006
4k cit.
7
A simple equation for description of solute release I. Fickian and non-fickian release from non-swellable devices in the form of slabs, spheres, cylinders or discs
Journal of Controlled Release|1987
3.7k cit.
8
Biodegradable Long-Circulating Polymeric Nanospheres
Science|1994
2.9k cit.
9
Hydrogels in Regenerative Medicine
Advanced Materials|2009
2.7k cit.
10
Hydrogels with tunable stress relaxation regulate stem cell fate and activity
Nature Materials|2015
2.4k cit.

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