noun
- three-dimensional networks of water-swollen, cross-linked hydrophilic polymers that can absorb and retain large amounts of water while maintaining their structure
Usage: scientific; materials science
Examples
- Hydrogels are commonly used in contact lenses due to their high water content.
- The wound dressing contained hydrogels that helped keep the injury moist.
- Scientists developed new hydrogels for drug delivery applications.
- These hydrogels can absorb up to 1000 times their weight in water.
- Hydrogels in agriculture help retain soil moisture during dry periods.
- The biomedical team tested hydrogels for tissue engineering scaffolds.