Hydrogel

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Hydrogel is a network of polymer chains that are water-insoluble, sometimes found as a colloidal gel in which water is the dispersion medium. Hydrogels are superabsorbent (they can contain over 99% water) natural or synthetic polymers. Hydrogels possess also a degree of flexibility very similar to natural tissue, due to their significant water content.

Common uses for hydrogel are:

  • now used as scaffolds in tissue engineering.when used in tissue engineering as scaffolds hydrogels may contain human cell to tissue repair.
  • environmentally sensitive hydrogels.These hydrogels have the ability to sense changes of pH, temperature, or the concentration of metabolite and release their load as result of such a change.
  • as sustained-release delivery system
  • provid absorption,desloughing and debriding capacities of necrotics and fibrotic tissue.
  • hydrogels that are responsive to specific molecules ,such as glucose or antigens can be used as biosensers as well as in DDS.
  • In disposable diapers where they "capture" urine, or in sanitary towels
  • Contact lenses (silicone hydrogels, polyacrylamides)
  • medical electrodes using hydrogels composed of cross linked polymers (polyethylene oxide, polyAMPS and polyvinylpyrrolidone)

Other, less common uses include:

  • Breast implants
  • Granules for holding soil moisture in arid areas
  • Dressings for healing of burn or other hard-to-heal wounds.Wound GEL are excellent for helping to creat or maintain environment.
  • reservoirs in topical drug delivery; particularly ionic drugs, delivered by iontophoresis (see ion exchange resin)

Common ingredients are eg. polyvinyl alcohol, sodium polyacrylate, acrylate polymers and copolymers with an abundance of hydrophilic groups.

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