Absorbent Moldable Gel

Introduction

A new gel material has been developed that is capable of absorbing up to 1,000 times its volume of water. The material is elastic like rubber and hard to break. Developed in a joint project between researchers at the University of Tokyo and Japan Science and Technology Corporation, the material is a transparent semi-solid gel made from cyclodextrin and polyethylene glycol. These two substances are biocompatible, so the material can be used for contact lenses and various medical applications. Contact lenses made of the gel, with some 80% water content, will be more permeable to oxygen and friendlier to the eyes than conventional products, the researchers said. It can also be made into sandbags to help prevent flooding. The material is comprised of cyclodextrin and polyethylene glycol molecules linked to form a three-dimensional meshwork. As the gel absorbs water, each mesh widens and the gel enlarges without disrupting the overall structure of the material. The gel is semi-solid, so it can be easily processed into desired shapes by pouring it into a mold and applying heat.

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