Compliant, Tough, Fatigue-Resistant, and Biocompatible PHEMA-Based Hydrogels as a Breast Implant Material.

ABSTRACT: Breast reconstruction remains hindered by the limitations of conventional implant materials such as silicone, which exhibit hydrophobicity and poor tissue integration, often leading to complications, including capsular contracture. Here, we report the development of a poly-(HEMA-MA)/Fe³⁺ (PHM/Fe³⁺) hydrogel as a next-generation soft implant material. This hydrogel is synthesized via copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and maleic acid (MA), followed by immersion in FeCl₃ to induce secondary cross-linking through Fe³⁺-carboxyl coordination. The resulting homogeneous ionic network effectively mitigates stress concentration and hardening, enabling enhanced mechanical energy dissipation and conferring excellent elasticity, toughness

SUBMITTER: He Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12355432 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature