Biomedical Applications of Interpenetrating Polymer Network Gels

Polymers are one of the most researched materials in different fields of study like engineering, chemistry, biomedicine, etc. Interpenetrating polymer network-based gels are highly versatile as they possess the properties of two or even more type of polymers from which they are formulated. The 3D structure of IPN hydrogels possesses the ability of holding large quantities of water. These network gels show higher strength and are safe and biocompatible which make them useful for a range of biomedical applications. The combination of natural and synthetic polymers in IPN gels further adds to their advantage. The IPN gels are now also prepared from “smart polymers” which can be easily modified in terms of shape and volume and are sensitive to selected stimuli like temperature, pH, pressure, etc. All these make the development and evaluation of IPN gels a key thrust area for research. The present chapter highlights the various biomedical applications of IPN gels.