Hydrogels based on vinyl amino acids: from preparation to biomedical applications

Amino acids have received widespread attention due to their structural diversity, designability, and unique intermolecular interactions. Free-radical polymerization of vinyl amino acids offers a straightforward and versatile method for constructing hydrogels. Hydrogels based on vinyl amino acids (VAHs) exhibit a range of intriguing properties, including tunable mechanical properties, pH-responsiveness, and adhesive performance, as well as self-healing capability and injectability. This review comprehensively summarizes the recent advances in VAHs, with a focus on construction strategies, multifunctional properties, and emerging applications in fields such as electronic devices, tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery systems, and wound healing. Meanwhile, we point out the challenges in the future development of VAHs, providing new perspectives on their potential applications.