Not quite a solid, not quite a liquid: Meet hydrogels
Hydrogels, which are networks of polymer chains that can retain extraordinary amounts of water, are both flexible and strong, and have several potential applications – from self-healing systems to sustainable water purification and next-gen cooling technologies. Researchers at MIT are playing a leading role in advancing hydrogel research.
Professors Xuanhe Zhao, Uncas (1923) and Helen Whitaker Professor and professor of mechanical engineering and civil and environmental engineering, and Evelyn Wang, vice president for energy and climate and professor of mechanical engineering, are among the researchers featured in a new video from MIT News that explores hydrogel research and applications.