An insight into synthetic and physiological aspects of superabsorbent hydrogels based on carbohydrate type polymers for various applications: A review

Abstract

Superabsorbent hydrogels (SAH's) refer to hydrophilic polymer networks (organic or inorganic) , that can absorb and retain huge amounts of water in their three-dimensional networks as high as 500–1500 g/g. Use of polysaccharides as backbone for synthesis of superabsorbent hydrogels has attracted substantial interest pertaining to their high hydrophilicity, non-toxicity, biodegradability, biocompatibility and natural origin that makes them suitable candidate for various applications such as drug delivery, soil conditioning, bio-sensing, food encapsulation, sustained release of fertilizers etc.. Their water absorbing and retaining properties can be controlled by the type of hydrophilic monomer and/or polymer used, synthetic methodology, the degree of cross-linking and the nature of the swelling medium. Further the porosity in the hydrogels decides their fate for different applications. This review is targeted to update and discuss some important aspects of synthesis, characterization and applications of SAH's based on some important natural polymers and their application in different fields. It is expected that the interest in these types of hydrogel will continue to grow as value-added materials.

Keywords

• High swelling
• Drug delivery
• Soil-conditioning
• Biodegradability
• Biocompatibility