article · International Journal of Polymeric Materials
Biopolymers originate from the cells of living organisms, including plants and microbes, offering an alternative to fossil fuel derived materials. These natural polymers consist of covalently bonded monomeric units that form three-dimensional macromolecular networks. When crosslinked through either physical or chemical methods, these networks form hydrogels. Covalent crosslinks stabilise the hydrogel structure, rendering them suitable biomaterials for diverse uses. The resulting crosslinks vary in length, though they are predominantly short. Crucially, the physical and chemical characteristics of the crosslinked polymers depend directly on the overall degree of crosslinking achieved during synthesis. Understanding different crosslinking approaches provides insight into how these polymer networks are formed, how their structural properties are governed, and how they can be tailored for functional applications across various sectors.
Biopolymers provide a renewable, non-fossil alternative for creating advanced materials. By modifying how these natural polymer chains link together, researchers can alter the physical and chemical behaviour of hydrogels. This tunability is essential for designing reliable biomaterials that can maintain stable structures across diverse real-world settings and practical disciplines.
The abstract notes that crosslinked biopolymer hydrogels function as biomaterials across various applications, but it does not specify concrete commercial products, target end users, or specific industry sectors. Because the text outlines foundational crosslinking mechanisms and material properties rather than practical deployment or testing, the research represents early-stage materials science with an unspecified development pathway towards real-world adoption.
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Biopolymers are natural polymers produced by the cells of living organisms such as plants and microbes rather than from fossil fuel. They consist of monomeric units that are covalently bonded to form larger molecules making up a 3D macromolecule network which when crosslinked either physically or chemically, they can produce a hydrogel. These covalent crosslinks can be attained using various approaches and as a result they stabilize the hydrogels network making them appropriate biomaterials for various applications. The cross links can either be short or long, but in most cases the bonds are short with the chemical and physical properties of the crosslinked polymers dependent on the degree of cross linking. This review will discuss crosslinking strategies that can be used to synthesis hydrogels, their properties, and their applications in various fields.
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DOI: 10.1080/00914037.2024.2356603
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