Hydrophilic polymers are polymers that are soluble in or swollen by water or other polar solvents. They can be divided into natural, semi-synthetic or synthetic hydrophilic polymers according to the source, and can be further classified as anionic, cationic, neutral or amphiphilic according to the ionic nature of the monomer side group. Many natural polymers generally have natural hydrophilicity and biocompatibility, which makes them suitable for drug delivery or targeting applications. Chitosan is a linear polysaccharide prepared from shrimp and other crustacean shells, and it can be used as an antibacterial agent and can also be used to help deliver drugs through the skin. Agarose is a natural polymer extracted from seaweed. It is a linear polysaccharide made up of the repeating unit of a disaccharide, agarobiose, and is often used in molecular biology for the separation of large molecules. Semi-synthetic hydrophilic polymers are derived by chemical modification of polymers or form microbial sources. Most natural hydrophilic polymers are polysaccharides whose derivatives can be obtained by substitution, oxidation, crosslinking, or partial hydrolysis. For example, N-carboxybutyl chitosan, a chitosan derivative, is an amphoteric polymer that is soluble under acidic, neutral, and basic conditions. It can be used for wound healing, cosmetic production, and so on. Synthetic hydrophilic polymers have promising applications in pharmacology, biotechnology, and chemistry. Synthetic polymers offer several advantages over natural polymers, including ease of functionalization and predictable and controllable physicochemical properties through appropriate selection of monomer units, polymerization reaction type, and copolymer formation.
Hydrophilic polymers are an important class of polymers and have a wide range of applications in research and life. They can be applied to act as grafting agents on surfaces in solution, and as hydrophilic parts in amphiphilic block copolymers for the assembly in dispersion in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Hydrophilic polymers are placed at the forefront of polymer research, mainly due to their potential high-value applications in the biomedical field as well as in food and cosmetics. A variety of hydrophilic polymers are developed as drug carriers, which act as the mediator/interface between biological environment and drug containing compartment. In addition, hydrophilic polymers have many different roles in the field of tissue engineering. Hydrogels as space-filling scaffolds can maintain the desired volume and structural integrity for the required time. Scaffolds composed of alginate, chitosan, and collagen show potential as general bulking agents. Synthetic hydrogels are generally suitable materials for use as anti-adhesive agents. Hydrophilic polymers can also be applied in reaction environment for the enhancement of catalytic processes. Other applications of hydrophilic polymers include sensing, ice crystallization inhibition and cell freezing protection, and electrolytes for fuel cells and batteries.
Amerigo Scientific offers a variety of hydrophilic polymers that can be used to develop coatings, adhesives, fibers, films, as well as medical materials such as implants and drug carriers.
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