Hydrogels
“Hydrogel (also called aquagel) is a network of polymer chains that are hydrophilic, sometimes found as a colloidal gel in which water is the dispersion medium. Hydrogels are highly absorbent (they can contain over 99% water) natural or synthetic polymers. Hydrogels also possess a degree of flexibility very similar to natural tissue, due to their significant water content.” (Wikipedia, Hydrogels, 5/17/2011)
Acrylic Hydrogels
Gels
Hydrogel Drug Delivery
Silver /Hydrogel Biocides
Silicone Hydrogels
Smart Hydrogels
Solutions
Superabsorbent Hydrogels
Supramolecular Hydrogels
Recent Journal Articles
Frontal photopolymerization synthesis of multilayer hydrogels with high mechanical strength
(1903-1911) European Polymer Journal 47 #10 (2011)
Qin et al of Shandong University, China, prepared multilayer hydrogels by frontal photopolymerization of acrylamide and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid using hydrophilic reactive microgels (HRM) as crosslinkers instead of conventional crosslinkers. The hydrophilic microgels (HM) were prepared by inverse emulsion photopolymerization and then were chemical modified by N-methylolacrylamide (NMA) to obtain HRM with CC double bonds. It was found that the resulting multilayer hydrogels showed high fracture strength and high tensile elongation along parallel direction. However their fracture strength and tensile elongation along perpendicular direction was very weak. (RDC 9/20/2011)
Review Articles
Polymer Hydrogels: A Review
(1475-1486) Polymer - Plastics Technology and Engineering 50 #14 (2011)
Abstract
Laftah, Hashim and Ibrahimreview definitions, classification, main properties, and application of polymer hydrogels (PHG). The factors that affect absorption capacity and swelling properties of polymer hydrogels are reviewed. PHG materials are defined as a viscoelastic network structure, swellable and not soluble in water with high absorbent capacity, which may reach 1000 g/g of their dried weight to be termed “superabsorbent polymer hydrogels”. PHGs have the ability to release absorbed fluids under certain circumstances. (RDC 10/6/2011)