HYDROGEL

DEFINITION
 Three-dimensional network of hydrophilic cross-linked
polymer that do not dissolve but can swell in water or
can respond to the fluctuations of the environmental
stimuli

 Hydrogels are highly absorbent (they can contain over

90% water) natural or synthetic polymeric networks

 Hydrogels also possess a degree of flexibility very

similar to natural tissue, due to their significant water
content
CLASIFICATION
 NATURAL POLYMER
Example : Dextran, Chitosan, Collagen, Dextran Sulfate
 Advantages
- Generally have high biocompatibility
- Biodegradable
- Low toxicity b yproducts
 Disadvantages
- Mechanical Strength
- Batch variation
- Animal derived materials may pass on viruses
 SYTHETIC POLYMER
Example : PEG-PLA-PEG, Poly (vinyl alcohol)
 Advantages :
- Precise control and mass produced
- Can be tailored to give a wide range of properties (can be
designed to meet specific needs)
- Low immunogenecity
- Minimize risk of biological pathogens or contaminants
 Disadvantages :
 Low biodegradability
 Can include toxic substances
 CLASIFICATION
 On the basis of Preparation
- Homo-polymer
- Copolymer
- Semi-interpenetrating network (Semi-IPN)
- Interpenetrating network (IPN)

 Cross linking
- Chemical Hydrogel
- Physical Hydrogel
 HOMO-POLYMER
 Homo-polymers are referred to polymer networks derived
from single species of monomer
 It is the basic structural unit and comprising of any polymer
network
 Homo-polymers may have cross-linked skeletal structure
depending on the nature of the monomer and polymerization
technique
 Cross linked homo-polymers are used in drug delivery
system and in contact lenses
 Polyetheleneglycol (PEG) based hydrogels are responsive
towards external stimuli and hence these smart hydrogels
are widely used in drug delivery system
 COPOLYMER
 Co-polymeric hydrogels are composed of two types of
monomer in which at least one is hydrophilic in nature

 Synthesized the biodegradable triblock poly(ethylene

glycol)-poly(caprolactone)- poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)
co-polymeric hydrogel for the development of drug
delivery system

 The mechanism involve here is the ring-opening

copolymerization of caprolactone (Nylon 6)
 SEMI-IPN
 If one polymer is linear and penetrates another cross-linked network without
any other chemical bonds between them, it is called a semi-inter penetrating
network

 Semi-IPNs can more effectively preserve rapid kinetic response rates to pH or

temperature due to the absence of restricting interpenetrating elastic network

 While still providing the benefits like modified pore size & slow drug release
etc.

 This pH sensitive semi-IPN was synthesized by co-polymerization in the

presence of N, N′-methylene bisacrylamide as a cross-linking agent

 The network contained both covalent and ionic bonds

 The covalent bonds retained the three-dimensional structure of hydrogel and
the ionic bonds imparted the hydrogel with higher mechanical strength and pH
responsive reversibility
 IPN
 IPNs are conventionally defined as intimate combination of two
polymers, at least one of which is synthesized or cross-linked in
the immediate presence of the other
 This is typically done by immersing a pre-polymerized hydrogel
into a solution of monomers and a polymerization initiator
 IPN method can overcome thermodynamic incompatibility occurs
due to the permanent interlocking of network segments and limited
phase separation can be obtained
 The main advantages of IPNs are relatively dense hydrogel
matrices can be produced which feature stiffer and tougher
mechanical properties, controllable physical properties and more
efficient drug loading compared to other hydrogels
 HYDROGEL FABRICATION
 Chemical hydrogel
- Covalently cross-linked
- Thermoset
- Volume phase transition
- Reliable shape stability
 Physical hydrogel
- Non-covalently cross-linked
- Thermoplast
- Sol gel phase transition
- Limited shape stability
 PROPERTIES HYDROGEL
 Swelling
Swelling property is influenced by:

- type and composition of monomers

- other environmental factors such as : temperature, pH,
ionic strength

- cross-linking (mechanical strength and permeability)

 PROPERTIES HYDROGEL
 Mechanical
- Mechanical properties of hydrogels are very important
for pharmaceutical applications.

- For example property of maintaining its physical texture

during the application of drug delivery

- Changing the degree of crosslinking has been utilized

to achieve the desired mechanical property of the
hydrogel
 PROPERTIES HYDROGEL
 Biocompatible
- It is important for the hydrogels to be biocompatible and
nontoxic in order to make it applicable in biomedical
field

- Cell culture methods, also known as cytotoxicity tests,

can be used to evaluate the toxicity of hydrogels
 PROPERTIES HYDROGEL
 Fraksi Gel
- Jumlah Ikatan silang molekul primer yang terbentuk
akibat proses freezing and thawing dan dinyatakan
dalam persen

- Dikeringkan  direndam 24 jam  dikeringkan 

ditimbang

- Banyaknya fraksi yang tidak terlarut menunjukkan

ikatan silang yang terbentuk
 ADVANTAGES OF
HYDROGEL
 Hydrogels possess a degree of flexibility very similar to
natural tissue, due to their significant water content
 Environmentally sensitive 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
 Hydrogels have good transport properties
 Hydrogels are Biocompatible
 Hydrogels can be injected
 Hydrogels are easy to modif
 DISADVANTAGES OF
HYDROGEL
 Hydrogels are expensive
 The surgical risk associated with the device implantation and
retrieval
 Hydrogels are non-adherent, they may need to be secured
by a secondary dressing
 Hydrogels used as contact lenses causes lens deposition,
hypoxia, dehydration and red eye reactions
 Hydrogels have low mechanical strength
 Difficulty in handling
 Difficulty in loading