Abstract

PREPARATION METHODS OF HYDROGEL FOR WOUND HEALING: A REVIEW

Pranav Patil*

Abstract

This review article analyzes five primary preparation techniques for hydrogel-based wound dressings: suspension polymerization, grafting, irradiation, chemical crosslinking, and physical crosslinking, as well as the natural and synthetic biomaterials utilized in their production. Each method consists of different outcomes and limitations that determine the suitability of the hydrogel for wound healing applications. Suspension polymerization, especially the inverse water-in-oil technique, produced homogenous, superabsorbent hydrogels having high swelling capacity, but the use of toxic organic solvents gives biocompatibility concerns. Mechanical qualities were enhanced by grafting onto starch backbones using ceric ammonium nitrate or redox initiator systems, but toxic initiator by products require more purification before clinical use. Irradiation with cobalt-60 gamma sources accomplished concurrent crosslinking and sterilizing without chemical additions, resulting in pure yield, initiator-free wound dressings. Chemical crosslinking created mechanically robust, stable networks appropriate for harsh wound environment While physical crosslinking via ionic interactions and freeze-thaw cycling provided biocompatibility without the use of chemical agents, it had inferior mechanical strength. The reviewed biomaterials included natural polymers including chitosan, sodium alginate, and hyaluronic acid, which demonstrated bioactivity and compatibility with the extracellular matrix, whereas synthetic polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyvinylpyrrol idone (PVP) and PLGA (Poly(lactidecoglycolide)) provided reproducibility and mechanical strength. Future research must emphasize scalable, economical preparation methods that incorporate mechanical durability, biocompatibility, and regulated medication administration to enhance hydrogel-based wound care.

Keywords: Hydrogel, Wound healing, Preparation, Natural Biomaterial, Synthetic Biomaterial.