APPLICATION

OF
GELS POLYMER
WHAT IS GEL

Gel is solid, jelly like material.

Gels are defined as a substantially dilute cross-
linked system.
Gels are mostly liquid , they behave like solids due to a
three-dimensional cross-linked network within the liquid,
Gel is Nonfluid colloidal network or polymer network.
 Polymer gels consist of a cross-linked polymer network
inflated with a solvent such as water.
They have the ability to reversibly swell or shrink (up to 1000
times in volume) due to small changes in their environment
(pH, temperature, electric field).

The most common are polyvinylalcohol (PVA),

polyacrylicacid (PAA) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN). Many
potential applications (e.g. artificial muscles, robot actuators,
adsorbers of toxic chamicals).
POLYMER ARE USE IN GEL
POLYMER
STRUCTURE OF GELS
PROPERTIES OF GEL POLYMER

Many gels display thixotropy they become fluid when agitated,

but resolidify when resting.
By replacing the liquid with gas it is possible to prepare aero
gels , materials with exceptional properties including very low
density, high specific surface areas, and excellent thermal
insulation properties.
APPLICATION

Scaffolds in tissue engineering

Hydrogel-coated wells have been used for cell culture
Environmentally sensitive hydrogels (also known as 'Smart Gels'
or 'Intelligent Gels'). These hydrogels have the ability to sense
changes of pH, temperature, or the concentration of metabolite
and release their load as result of such a change.
Drug delivery systems
Rectal drug delivery and diagnosis
Biosensors
Disposable diapers where they absorb urine, or in sanitary napkins
APPLICATION

Dressings for healing of burn or other hard-to-heal wounds.

Wound gels are excellent for helping to create or maintain a
moist environment.
Natural hydrogel materials are being investigated for tissue
engineering; these materials include agarose,
methylcellulose, hyaluronan, and other naturally derived
polymers.
APPLICATION

This approach is common in manufacture of wide range of products, from

foods to paints and adhesives.
In fiber optics communications.
A soft gel resembling hair gel in viscosity is used to fill the plastic tubes
containing the fibers.
The main purpose of the gel is to prevent water intrusion if the buffer tube
is breached, but the gel also buffers the fibers against mechanical damage
when the tube is bent around corners during installation,or flexed.
Additionally, the gel acts as a processing aid when the cable is being
constructed, keeping the fibers central whilst the tube material is extruded
around it.
GEL-ELECTROPHORESIS

Cell used to extract the electric potential and its application

as an artificial tactile sensing system capable of lighting a
photodiode array under the deformation.
COSMETICS

Gel from aloe vera plant: 96 % water

4 % polysaccharides,
e.g. cellulose, Xylose
vitamins,enzymes, minerals etc.
 PHARMACEUTICALS
Contact lenses (silicone hydrogels, polyacrylamides)
SUPER-ABSORBENTS
A gel that can swell >100 x weight
Volume change a balance between osmotic pressure and
elasticity
Polyelectrolyte gels - control swelling by salt concentration
 SUPER-ABSORBENTS
The possibility of using superabsorbent hydrogels as water managing
materials for the renewal of arid and desert environments has attracted
great attention.
These materials can reduce irrigation.
water consumption, improve fertilizer retention in soil, lower the plant
death rate, and increase the plant growth rate.
However,the application of super-absorbents in this field has been limited
because most polymeric super absorbents are based on pure poly
(sodium acrylate) and so they are too expensive and not suitable for
saline water and soils. In order to reduce production costs and improve
salt resistance, superabsorbent composites have been made by
incorporating mineral powders into hydrogels.
DEEP SEA CABLE
FUEL CELL MEMBRANES

Batteries and fuel cells

Combine mechanical stability of polymer with conductivity of
a liquid phase.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gel#Hydrogels
http://www.designinsite.dk/htmsider/m1315.htm