Testing & Analysis of Hydrogels

Swelling is one of the typical characteristics of hydrogels, which is important for controlling the release systems used in the biomedical, agricultural, and cosmetic fields. The swelling ratio is mainly analyzed by the weighing method.

As a tool to understand the functions of hydrogels, structure analysis provides a platform for product design and further improvement. Alfa Chemistry uses the most common techniques such as FTIR, SEM, etc. to analyze the structure of hydrogels.

The mechanical properties of hydrogels have significance in evaluating the failure degree and life of hydrogels, which are dependent on their preparation process and composites. Uniaxial tensile tests, bulge tests, compressive tests, and indentation tests are the most commonly used test methods.

Rheological properties offer a way to reveal structural differences between different hydrogels such as the degree of crosslinking, proximity of the glass transition, etc. A rotational rheometer determines the rheological properties of hydrogels by rotating the disk and measuring torque.

Biological properties such as biocompatibility, cytotoxicity, and biodegradability are crucial for the safety assessment of hydrogels in various applications. We have extensive experience and proven methods for biological property analysis of hydrogels.

The evaluation of drug release kinetics is important to validate new drug delivery systems that are based on hydrogels, and provides support for better clinical translation. Our state-of-the-art facilities and multiple mathematical models provide a reliable basis for drug quantification and release mechanism interpretation, respectively.