# Pyromellitamide gels

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{{short description|Gels used to repair severed muscles and spinal cords in patients}}'''Pyrometallide gels''' are types of [gel](/source/gel)s based on [pyromellitamide](/source/pyromellitamide) molecules.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Dehn |first1=Sabrina |last2=Tong |first2=Katie W. K. |last3=Clady |first3=Raphael G. C. |last4=Owen |first4=Dylan M. |last5=Gaus |first5=Katharina |last6=Schmidt |first6=Timothy W. |last7=Braet |first7=Filip |last8=Thordarson |first8=Pall |date=2011-07-01 |title=The structure and luminescence properties of europium(III) triflate doped self-assembled pyromellitamide gels |url=https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2011/nj/c1nj20085b |journal=New Journal of Chemistry |language=en |volume=35 |issue=7 |pages=1466–1471 |doi=10.1039/C1NJ20085B |issn=1369-9261|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Webb |first1=James E. A. |last2=Crossley |first2=Maxwell J. |last3=Turner |first3=Peter |last4=Thordarson |first4=Pall |date=2007-06-06 |title=Pyromellitamide Aggregates and Their Response to Anion Stimuli |url=https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ja0713781 |journal=Journal of the American Chemical Society |language=en |volume=129 |issue=22 |pages=7155–7162 |doi=10.1021/ja0713781 |pmid=17497782 |bibcode=2007JAChS.129.7155W |issn=0002-7863|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Such gels being developed which will enable the repair of severed [muscle](/source/muscle)s and [spinal cord](/source/spinal_cord)s in patients.

== Artificial muscles ==

These types of [artificial muscles](/source/Electroactive_polymers) are made possible by creating [synthetic material](/source/Organic_compound)s 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](/source/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](/source/liquid) in the same way that a [sponge](/source/sponge) absorbs water, to form a solid. The unique feature of self-assembled gels is that [chemical reaction](/source/chemical_reaction)s are not required 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, these gels could also be used for [drug delivery](/source/drug_delivery) in [cancer](/source/cancer) patients, where they can injected into the patient, and the gel will slowly release a constant stream of anti-cancer drugs in the body. There are also applications for computer and television screens, where gels are used for [LCD](/source/Liquid-crystal_display) screens. These gels could lower the [manufacturing](/source/manufacturing) costs and be used to construct [flexible display](/source/flexible_display) screens.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== See also ==
* [Smart polymer](/source/Smart_polymer)
* [Artificial muscles](/source/Artificial_muscles)

Category:Muscular system
Category:Smart materials

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{{muscle-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pyromellitamide gels](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyromellitamide_gels) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyromellitamide_gels?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.