Abstract
Hydrogels are materials with unique properties that allow them to be applied in major aspects of human activities. Modern hydrogel wound dressings are often classified as hydrocolloid dressings, alginate dressings, flat hydrogel dressings, amorphous hydrogel dressings, foam dressings, films, and composite materials composed of a fibrous substrate impregnated with hydrogel forming polymer. This chapter considers several methods used for the production of hydrogel wound dressings by polymerization of monomers and cross-linking of polymers. Cross-linking of polymers is a more common way of producing hydrogel wound dressings because it gives an opportunity to avoid contamination of the final product with unreacted toxic or irritating components (monomers and initiator). There are a few cross-linking techniques that can be used for the production of hydrogel dressings: physical cross-linking; cross-linking by low molecular weight compounds; ultraviolet, gamma, and electron beam irradiation; condensation reactions between functional groups of polymers; enzymatic cross-linking; and interpenetrating polymer network cross-linking.