Polysaccharide-based superabsorbent hydrogels: From formulation to applications
Abstract
The emergence of superabsorbent hydrogels (SAPs) has attracted growing scientific and industrial interest arising from their multifunctional properties and significant potential applications. This review provides a critical, structured analysis of polysaccharide-based superabsorbent hydrogels, focusing on their biodegradability, natural abundance, biocompatibility, and economic viability. The impact of cross-linking, functionalization, and the primary formulation techniques on the structure of the polymer network is examined. Furthermore, a brief discussion is provided on how important variables such as pH, temperature, ionic strength, initiator, and crosslinker content affect SAPs’ ability to swell and their structural characteristics. Finally, the main application fields of bio-based SAPs, including agriculture, water management, the environment, biomedicine, and cosmetics, are presented and discussed. The prospects for the development of SAPs therefore rely on a cross-disciplinary approach that optimizes synthesis and chemical modification processes, aligns characterization methods, and rigorously assesses biocompatibility, biodegradability, and regulatory requirements to ensure their safety, efficacy, and large-scale deployment.
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BibTeX
@article{lafdali2026polysaccharidebased,
title = {{Polysaccharide-based superabsorbent hydrogels: From formulation to applications}},
author = {Ahlam Lafdali and Sumera Khizar and Salima Atlas and Mustapha Raihane and Faissal Aziz and Abdelhamid Elaissari},
journal = {Emergent Materials},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1007/s42247-026-01445-0},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05801590v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Polysaccharide-based superabsorbent hydrogels: From formulation to applications
AU - Ahlam Lafdali
AU - Sumera Khizar
AU - Salima Atlas
AU - Mustapha Raihane
AU - Faissal Aziz
AU - Abdelhamid Elaissari
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/13
JO - Emergent Materials
DO - 10.1007/s42247-026-01445-0
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05801590v1
AB - The emergence of superabsorbent hydrogels (SAPs) has attracted growing scientific and industrial interest arising from their multifunctional properties and significant potential applications. This review provides a critical, structured analysis of polysaccharide-based superabsorbent hydrogels, focusing on their biodegradability, natural abundance, biocompatibility, and economic viability. The impact of cross-linking, functionalization, and the primary formulation techniques on the structure of the polymer network is examined. Furthermore, a brief discussion is provided on how important variables such as pH, temperature, ionic strength, initiator, and crosslinker content affect SAPs’ ability to swell and their structural characteristics. Finally, the main application fields of bio-based SAPs, including agriculture, water management, the environment, biomedicine, and cosmetics, are presented and discussed. The prospects for the development of SAPs therefore rely on a cross-disciplinary approach that optimizes synthesis and chemical modification processes, aligns characterization methods, and rigorously assesses biocompatibility, biodegradability, and regulatory requirements to ensure their safety, efficacy, and large-scale deployment.
SN - 2522-5731
SN - 2522-574X
ER -