ABSTRACT

Polymer gels have attracted considerable attention [1-10]. A polymer gel consists of an elastic cross-linked network and a fluid filling the interstitial space of the network. The network of long polymer molecules holds the liquid in place and so gives the gel what solidity it has. Gels are wet and soft and look like a solid material but are capable of undergoing large deformation. This is in contrast to most industrial materials, such as metal, ceramics, and plastics, which are dry and hard. Living organisms are largely made of gels. Except for bones, teeth, nails, and the outer layers of skin, mammalian tissues are highly aqueous gel materials largely composed of protein and polysaccharide networks, in which water contents range up to 90% (blood plasma). This enables the organism to transport ions and molecules more easily and effectively while keeping its solidity.