Abstract

FORMULATION, EVALUATION AND APPLICATIONS OF HYDROGELS: A REVIEW

Mandula Swamidas, Somnath De* and Venu Madhav Katla

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Abstract

Hydrogels are a special type of 3-D cross-linked polymer networks which can incorporate a small fraction of aqueous solvents and biological fluids into their structures as a result they swell. They have great biocompatibility when swollen, becoming rubbery and soft and resembling living tissue. Hydrogels are the class of synthetic biomaterials that most nearly resemble genuine living tissue b high porosity, high water content, and soft consistency. Because of this advantage of hydrogels, these are widely applied in many fields. The primary goal of this article is to conduct a literature review on formulation, evaluation, and applications of hydrogels in various ways. The classification of hydrogels on a different basis is also given in this article.

Keywords: Hydrogels, biocompatibility, porosity, evaluation, formulation.