Damanhour University Faculty of Pharmacy
Department of Pharmaceutics
Course Name: Pharmaceutics II
Course Code: PT2204
Hydrogels and its applications
Student Name: Ziad Mohammed Mahmoud
Student ID: 2171
Level: 2nd year general
Submission Date: 10/6/2020
Pharmaceutics (PT2204)
Abstract
Hydrogels are very unique materials. Their unusual properties makes them highly
useful in the whole biomedical field as well as other fields. They are tough,
biocompatible, biodegradable and porous. Here in this article classification and
application of hydrogels will be discussed. Hydrogels have multiple classifications.
They may be classified based on their polymeric composition to homopolymeric
hydrogels, copolymeric hydrogels and IPN hydrogels. They may be classified
according to their configuration into amorphous (non-crystalline), semi-crystalline (A
complex mixture of amorphous and crystalline phases) and Crystalline. Also they can
be classified according to the type of cross-linking, physical appearance, etc. hydrogels
could be involved in a wide range of industries, tools and medicines. Hydrogels are
very suitable carriers for drugs. They have a porous structure which allow them to carry
a great amount of the drug in a proper way and also release it. Thus the greatest
advantage of hydrogels is its ability to release the drug for long periods resulting in a
proper delivery of the right amount of the drug to the right place over time. Hydrogels
are also good materials for scaffolding in tissue engineering. They are great materials
for making contact lenses. Only some of hydrogels applications will be discussed but
there are much more to be known about them.
Introduction
Hydrogels is a very promising area in the biomedical field. They are considered
promising materials in many fields such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, self-
healing materials, biosensors and hemostasis bandages. Hydrogels characteristics are
very unique. They are mechanically strong. Their biocompatibility is very useful in
pharmaceutical industry. Also these materials are porous, biodegradable, etc. Still, they
are not well enough to fulfil body requirements. Researchers are working hard in recent
years to improve hydrogels to make full use of it. Cross-linked 3D networks can hold
huge amount of water due to their hydrophilic nature. Thus, the hydrogel networks can
extensively swell in water media. Since our body consists mainly of water, hydrogels
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may work in many areas at our body. As usual synthetic polymers are replacing normal
ones for better characteristics such as longer life and more strength. Now hydrogels
components can all be prepared synthetically with great stability in acids and basics.
Also some groups could be added to the polymers to add properties such as sensitivity
to light and heat, magnetic fields and pH. Hydrogels have many classifications. For
example they may be classified based on their polymeric composition to
homopolymeric hydrogels, copolymeric hydrogels and IPN hydrogels. Also they may
be classified according to configuration, type of cross-linking, physical appearance,
etc. (1), (2)
Main body of manuscript
Synthesis of hydrogels (4)
Physically cross-linked gels
Some methods are being used to produce hydrogels physically such as hydrogen
bonding, crystallization, ionic interaction and protein interaction.
Chemically cross-linked hydrogels:
Chemical interaction provides good mechanical characteristics so many methods is
used such as complementary groups chemical reactions, addition reactions,
condensation reactions, high energy radiation and free radical polymerization to
produce strong hydrogels. Also enzymes are used to produce chemical hydrogels. (4)
Classification of hydrogels (2)
There are numerous classification which can be made to categorize hydrogels. Here
are some of them.
Classification based on source: hydrogels are found both naturally and synthetically.
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Classification based on their polymeric composition:
Homopolymeric: Hydrogels are composed of species of monomer which is the
basic unit. The skeletal structure changes depending on the type of this monomer
and the preparation technique.
Copolymeric: Hydrogels have two different monomer species and one
hydrophilic component at least in which don’t have a definite shape.
Multipolymer Interpenetrating polymeric hydrogel (IPN): Hydrogels are
composed of two independent polymeric components in a form of network. This
kind is of a great value. Also there is semi-IPN hydrogel where one component
is a cross-linked polymer and other component is a non-cross-linked polymer.
Classification based on configuration: Hydrogels are classified into amorphous (non-
crystalline), semi-crystalline (A complex mixture of amorphous and crystalline phases)
and crystalline.
Classification based on type of cross-linking: Hydrogels are classified into Chemical
and Physical. Chemical cross-linkage provide permanent junction while physical
cross-linkages don’t.
Classification based on physical appearance: Depending on the technique used in
the preparation, the hydrogels differs in appearance to three forms matrix to film to
microsphere.
Classification according to network electrical charge: Hydrogels are classified into
anionic, ionic, amphoteric and zwitterionic. (2)
Applications of hydrogels (3), (5)
Hydrogels are widely used. Because of their unique structure, biocompatibility and
other compatibilities, they could be involved in a wide range of industries, tools and
medicines. Also their nontoxicity and flexibility is very promising in medicinal
industries. Here are some areas where hydrogels are used. (5)
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Drug delivery
Hydrogels are very suitable carriers for drugs. They have a porous structure which
allow them to carry a great amount of the drug in a proper way and also release it. Thus
the greatest advantage of hydrogels is its ability to release the drug for long periods
resulting in a proper delivery of the right amount of the drug to the right place over
time. Controlled drug delivery systems (DDS) show a great accuracy in the delivery
process over the normal drug formulations. So the highly needed properties of
hydrogels are very required in this process. In order to control the porosity of hydrogels
we need to adjust two factors. The hydrogels affinity for the targeted medium and the
cross-linking degree. Also to control the mechanism of release and bonding between
the hydrogel and the drug, chemical and physical changes could be made. Because of
their stimuli-response ability hydrogels can deliver the drug to the right place by its
local changes through definite pH, enzymes, temperature, etc… (3)
Dyes and heavy metal ions removal
Hydrogels are very effective at removing heavy metal ions from wastewater which is
very important for the environment. Polyacrylate hydrogels are used for aqueous media
because of it can to bind oppositely charged metal ions to form complexes. Also
chitosan, alginate, starch, and cellulose derivatives are used in this process. It is not a
very common way because it is still bad economically. (3)
Scaffolds in tissue engineering
Hydrogels are also good materials for scaffolding in tissue engineering. This is due to
the similarity of them with the extracellular matrix. Some modification must be done
to the hydrogel based on the type of the tissue. Synthetic and natural polymers may be
used with different advantages. Synthetic are easily modified while natural are not.
(PEO), (PVA) and (PPF) are all used as synthetic polymers in this process. Natural
polymers have the advantage of being similar to the extracellular matrix. Examples are
alginate and chitosan. (3), (5)
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Contact lenses
Hydrogels are great materials for making contact lenses covering nearly all the
requirements needed in contact lenses. Examples of the monomers used are dihydroxy
methacrylates, methacrylic acid, acrylamides, and many other monomers. (5)
Biosensors
Hydrogels can be used as biosensors depending on the stimuli-responsive
characteristics of the hydrogels. Many types of hydrogels are used depending on the
type of analyte. (3)
Supercapacitor hydrogels
Electrically conducting polymer hydrogels show great potential for the expected
integration due to their excellent solid-liquid interface, good electric characteristics,
and mechanical flexibility, and represent a promising material platform for emerging
flexible energy storage devices. Conducting polymers such as polyaniline, polypyrrole,
and their derivatives provide the unique electrical properties of metals or
semiconductors, as well as attractive properties associated with conventional polymers,
such as ease of synthesis and flexibility in processing; therefore, supercapacitor
hydrogels are attracting much attention as new power sources. Flexible solid-state
supercapacitors provide high power density, long cycle life, and the potential to achieve
relatively high energy density. (3), (5)
Conclusions
Hydrogels characteristics put them as a magic solution for many biomedical problems.
They are very suitable carriers for drugs. Hydrogels can be used as biosensors
depending on the stimuli-responsive characteristics of the hydrogels. These materials
are great for making contact lenses covering nearly all the requirements needed in
contact lenses. Many other uses for hydrogels are being tested to make full use of them.
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References
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3. Bahram M, Mohseni N, Moghtader M. An Introduction to Hydrogels and Some
Recent Applications. Emerging Concepts in Analysis and Applications of
Hydrogels. 2016;
4. Akhtar MF, Hanif M, Ranjha NM. Methods of synthesis of hydrogels … A
review. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal. 2016;24(5):554–9.
5. Chen, Tang, Wang, Zhao, Chen, Zhu. Applications of Hydrogels with Special
Physical Properties in Biomedicine. Polymers. 2019;11(9):1420.
