Starch-Based Hydrogels

Starch is a natural polymer that has many unique properties such as renewability, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. It has been utilized to prepare starch-based hydrogels and has received growing attention. Starch-based hydrogels are a three-dimensional network structure that can absorb large amounts of water. Therefore, starch-based hydrogels are widely used in many fields.

The preparation methods of starch-based hydrogels mainly include physical crosslinking and chemical crosslinking method.

• Physical crosslinking

The preparation of starch-based hydrogels by physical crosslinking is environmentally friendly and a healthy choice for consumers. Commonly used methods for preparing starch-based hydrogels using physical crosslinking include starch retrogradation and extrusion. The main factors affecting the preparation of starch-based hydrogels by physical crosslinking are starch concentration and type, degradation temperature and time, additives, etc.

• Chemical crosslinking

Chemical crosslinking of raw starch materials is an effective method to obtain strong starch-based hydrogels. Chemical crosslinking involves using a crosslinking agent to link two or more starch chains or graft monomers on the backbone of starch. The type and concentration of crosslinking agents are the main factors affecting the physicochemical properties of starch-based hydrogels formed by chemical crosslinking.

Starch-based hydrogels have attracted increasing attention from academia and industry due to their many favorable properties such as biodegradability, hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, low cost, and non-toxicity. Therefore, they have a wide range of applications in the fields of starch noodles for human consumption, removal of heavy metals and dyes from food industry sewage, and carriers for food active substances. In addition, starch-based hydrogels are capable of absorbing a large amount of fluids such as water and body wastes, and they can also retain these absorbed fluids under moderate pressures. The absorption characteristics of starch-based hydrogels make them widely used in many daily necessities such as disposable diapers. Starch-based hydrogels are also used in other important fields such as electrical uses, building construction, tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, and agricultural uses. The appearance of starch-based hydrogels brings new possibilities and hopes for progress in these fields.

Alfa Chemistry is a leading global supplier of hydrogels. Our experienced scientists focus on the production and performance improvement of starch-based hydrogels. Our products include but are not limited to the following. Please contact us to customize the starch-based hydrogels you need, and we will provide you with high quality products according to your detailed requirements.

Please kindly note that our products and services are for research use only.

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