Hydrogels info nao pl0x

Hydrogel (also called Aquagel) 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 also possess a degree of flexibility very similar to natural tissue, due to their significant water content. Common uses for hydrogels include

• currently used as scaffolds in tissue engineering. When used as scaffolds, hydrogels may contain human cells in order to repair tissue.
• 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 systems
• provide 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 biosensors as well as in DDS.
• used in disposable diapers where they "capture" urine, or in sanitary napkins
• contact lenses (silicone hydrogels, polyacrylamides)
• medical electrodes using hydrogels composed of cross linked polymers (polyethylene oxide, polyAMPS and polyvinylpyrrolidone)
• Water gel explosives

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 gels are excellent for helping to create or maintain a moist environment.
• reservoirs in topical drug delivery; particularly ionic drugs, delivered by iontophoresis (see ion exchange resin)

Common ingredients are e.g. polyvinyl alcohol, sodium polyacrylate, acrylate polymers and copolymers with an abundance of hydrophilic groups. Natural hydrogel materials are being investigated for tissue engineering, these materials include agarose, methylcellulose, hylaronan, and other naturally derived polymers Source:Wikipedia®