{
  "abstract": "Magnetic-responsive hydrogels (MRHs) combine hydrogel networks with magnetic particles, enabling remote actuation, magnetothermal conversion, and multifunctional responses. However, their performance is highly dependent on particle composition, size, loading, dispersion, particle-polymer interactions, crosslinking density, and fabrication conditions, making their design and characterization complex. Moreover, systematic relationships among preparation, interfacial modification, structure-property regulation, and application performance remain insufficiently understood. To address these issues, this review summarizes the preparation, modification, properties, and applications of MRHs from a preparation-interface-property-application perspective. Firstly, soft- and hard-magnetic hydrogels are classified and compared. Next, blending, in situ precipitation, and covalent bonding are discussed with emphasis on particle dispersion, retention, interfacial stability, and mechanical performance. Furthermore, surface modification, mechanical reinforcement, and the effects of particle characteristics, loading, and crosslinking density on magnetic, swelling, mechanical, magnetothermal, and biological properties are analyzed. Finally, applications in biomedicine, environmental remediation, actuation and sensing, and emerging engineering fields are reviewed together with challenges in nanoparticle leakage, fatigue, magnetic-field dosimetry, biodegradation, reproducibility, sterilization, and scale-up. Overall, this review provides guidance for the rational design and practical development of MRHs.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology Qingdao 266520 China cuixin@qut.edu.cn.",
    "College of Aerospace and Mechanical, Shandong University of Aeronautics Binzhou 256600 China.",
    "Quanzhou University of Information Engineering Quanzhou 362000 China.",
    "Hisense Refrigerator Co., Ltd Qingdao 266700 China."
  ],
  "article_type": "review article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Meng Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Xin Cui",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9918-3585"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yanbin Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jian Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Zongxu Chen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Xuesong Chang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Xing Zhao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Mingzheng Liu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Changhe Li"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/amrxwzemt7dz4.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1039/d6ra08388a",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13725766/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "amrxwzemt7dz4",
  "issns": [
    "2046-2069"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13725766",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Chemistry"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1313|Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7225084029",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13725766/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13725766",
  "pmid": "42974296",
  "published": "2026-11-02",
  "publisher": "Royal Society of Chemistry",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/amrxwzemt7dz4.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-03T15:20:51Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13725766",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13725766"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-04T15:20:47Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42974296",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42974296"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-05T12:22:14Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13725766",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1039/d6ra08388a"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "heading:Chemistry",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Magnetic-responsive hydrogels as composite smart materials: preparation, applications and challenges",
  "title_text": "Magnetic-responsive hydrogels as composite smart materials: preparation, applications and challenges",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T12:21:52Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/amrxwzemt7dz4",
  "venue": "RSC advances",
  "versions": []
}