Synthetic hydrogels: Synthesis, novel trends, and applications

Hydrogels have been generated and explored for use in various applications. The main objective of this comprehensive review is to collate the fundamental concepts of hydrogels, and elaborate on knowledge gaps, and to provide a perspective on the future directions. This review includes details of constituent molecules (monomers, cross-linkers, composite materials, etc.) and the methods used to prepare polymer networks. Moreover, the review highlights modifications of hydrogels that introduce new properties or enhance the existing features to suit the desired applications and challenges of synthetic polymer hydrogels. The other important topics covered in this review are the synthesis and applications of 3D printed hydrogels, nanocomposite hydrogels, injectable hydrogels, and self-healing hydrogels.

Automated summary

Hydrogels have been extensively researched and utilized in various fields, with discussions ranging from fundamental concepts to future development directions, as well as the preparation and modification methods. The review emphasizes the importance of modifying hydrogels and introducing innovations to adapt to different applications and challenges, including emerging technologies and areas such as 3D printed hydrogels and nanocomposite hydrogels.