Pyromellitamide gels
Pyrometallide gels are types of gels based on pyromellitamide molecules currently being developed which will enable doctors to repair severed muscles and spinal cords in patients.
Artificial muscles
These types of artificial muscles are made possible by creating synthetic materials which are very similar to the ones which make up human tissues and cells. These artificial materials are so similar that the body does not reject the material and instead allows normal cell growth in the materials which eventually become absorbed into the body.
Self-assembled gel
The gel molecule is composed of a tetra-alkane benzene-1,2,4,5-tetracarboxamide. The gel structure is made up of millions of tiny fibres, which form a 3D mesh by trapping a liquid in the same way that a sponge absorbs water, to form a solid. The unique feature of self-assembled gels is that they don't require any chemical reactions to form the fibres; it is simply a case of heating them up in a liquid and waiting for them to set.
Uses
There is huge range of potential applications for these gels. Aside from the artificial muscles, we could also use these gels for drug delivery in cancer patients, where we can inject the patient with a gel and it will slowly release a constant stream of anti-cancer drugs in the body. There are also applications for computer and television screens, where we use gels for LCDs. These gels could lower the manufacturing costs and be used to construct flexible display screens.