Utility of Super-Absorbent Polymers in Biomedical Applications

Super-absorbent polymers (SAPs) are used in various products across various industries, including medicine, agriculture and construction; they play an essential part in our day-to-day lives. Polysaccharides have been extensively used in synthesizing super-absorbent hydrogels due to their non-toxicity, hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and natural origin. Furthermore, SAPs have been reviewed regarding their classifications, synthesis, cross-linking modification, and physicochemical characterization, including morphology, thermal and mechanical characteristics, biodegradability, etc. Consequently, they are a good candidate for many applications, including drug delivery, biosensing, anti-bacterial, and personal care. This chapter discusses some essential natural polymers and their use as SAPs in biomedicine, as well as their synthesis, characterization and applications.