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Cellulose-Based Superabsorbent Hydrogels

  • Abdulraheim M. A. Hasan
  • Manar El-Sayed Abdel-Raouf
Living reference work entry
First Online:
Part of the Polymers and Polymeric Composites: A Reference Series book series (POPOC)

Abstract

Hydrogels are polymeric three-dimensional networks able to absorb and release water solutions. Sometimes, this behavior is reversed in response to definite environmental stimuli, i.e., temperature, pH, ionic strength, etc. Such stimuli-responsive behavior makes hydrogels attractive candidates for the design of “smart” devices, applicable in a variety of technological fields. In particular, when concerning either ecological or biocompatibility issues, the biodegradability of the hydrogel network, combined with the control of the degradation rate, may add more value to the developed device. Development of new products and materials, particularly those which are based on renewable organic resources using innovative sustainable processes, represents an increasing interest in both academic and industrial research. Cellulose and its derivatives – with numerous hydroxyl groups – have established to be flexible materials with unique chemical structure which provides a good platform for the creation of hydrogel networks with distinctive properties with respect to swelling ability and sensibility to external stimuli. Consequently, cellulose-based hydrogels are attractive materials, biodegradable, biocompatible, and low cost, which exhibit properties that make them promising in many applications, particularly in biomedical and environmental applications. This article reviews the design and the applications of cellulose-based hydrogels, which are extensively investigated due to cellulose availability in nature, the intrinsic degradability of cellulose, and the smart behavior displayed by some cellulose derivatives.

Keywords

Cellulose Carboxymethyl cellulose Hydrogels Smart polymers 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude for the Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute for supporting this work.

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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  • Abdulraheim M. A. Hasan
    • 1
  • Manar El-Sayed Abdel-Raouf
    • 1
  1. 1.Egyptian Petroleum Research InstituteCairoEgypt

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