Synthesis of PVA-Based Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications: Recent Trends and Advances

There is ongoing research for biomedical applications of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based hydrogels; however, the execution of this has not yet been achieved at an appropriate level for commercialization. Advanced perception is necessary for the design and synthesis of suitable materials, such as PVA-based hydrogel for biomedical applications. Among polymers, PVA-based hydrogel has drawn great interest in biomedical applications owing to their attractive potential with characteristics such as good biocompatibility, great mechanical strength, and apposite water content. By designing the suitable synthesis approach and investigating the hydrogel structure, PVA-based hydrogels can attain superb cytocompatibility, flexibility, and antimicrobial activities, signifying that it is a good candidate for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, drug delivery, wound dressing, contact lenses, and other fields. In this review, we highlight the current progresses on the synthesis of PVA-based hydrogels for biomedical applications explaining their diverse usage across a variety of areas. We explain numerous synthesis techniques and related phenomena for biomedical applications based on these materials. This review may stipulate a wide reference for future acumens of PVA-based hydrogel materials for their extensive applications in biomedical fields.