Hydrogels - GELS / Alfa Chemistry

The first hydrogel was reported in 1960 by Wichterle and Lim, who synthesized a biocompatible polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate (PHEMA) hydrogel that was used for permanent contact applications with human tissues (e.g., contact lenses, arteries, etc.)^[1]. Over the past decades, hydrogels have received great research interests due to their excellent properties and simple preparation methods. They play important roles in many fields such as biomedicine, agriculture, and food science.

Classification

Depending on the cross-linking type, hydrogels are divided into physical hydrogels and chemical hydrogels.
Depending on the physicochemical and structural features of the network, hydrogels are divided into amorphous hydrogels (having covalent cross-links), and semicrystalline hydrogels (may or may not have covalent cross-links).
Depending on the ionic charge, hydrogels are divided into neutral hydrogels (uncharged), anionic hydrogels (having negative charges only), cationic hydrogels (having positive charges only), and ampholytic hydrogels (having both positive and negative charges).
Depending on the preparation methods, hydrogels are divided into homopolymer hydrogels (one type of hydrophilic monomer unit), copolymer hydrogels (two types of hydrophilic monomer units), multipolymer hydrogels (three or more types of hydrophilic monomer units), and interpenetrating network (IPN) hydrogels (polymerize one monomer within a different cross-linked hydrogel network).

Features

The functional features of an ideal hydrogels are listed, including but not limited the following:

Hydrogels

Photo stability.
Absolute non-toxic.
pH-neutrality after swelling in water.
High absorption capacity (maximum equilibrium swelling) in saline.
High durability and stability in the swelling environment and during storage.
High biodegradability without the formation of toxic species following degradation.
The adsorption rate can be adjusted according to application requirements.

Our Products

Alfa Chemistry is an expert in the hydrogel field. Over the years, we have been committed to providing our customers with broad and high quality hydrogels to drive the practical application of hydrogels in various fields. You can click on the link and choose the product you need. If you do not find what you need, please contact us. We also offer product customization according to your detailed requirements.