Hydrogels: Future Technologies and Markets 2024-2044

Sample Pages

Contents List

Executive summary and conclusions chapter for those in a hurry, giving primary conclusions, key new infograms, roadmap and forecasts 2024-2044.

Nine other chapters all future-oriented revealing many commercial opportunities

PhD level analysis revealing gaps in the market, problems that are opportunities

146 best research papers analysed, with emphasis on 2023 and updates

Close look at appropriate emerging needs, timing

Hydrogel toxigen issues and escape routes

Where hydrogels will be best, why, when

Forecasts 2024-2044 in 40 lines

Key conclusions 16

SWOT appraisals 4

New infograms 62

New pie charts 8

Companies 42

Pages 298

The new Zhar Research report, “Hydrogels: Future Technologies and Markets 2024-2044” uniquely focuses on new technologies and applications that will add to the market so it powers to over $75 billion in 2044. Hydrogels will help the blind to see and the paralysed to walk. They will assist new forms of passive cooling, essential due to global warming. Hydrogels may be important for soft robotics used in fruit picking, surgery and smart prosthetics but there is much more.

Throughout the report, the information is distilled into infograms, comparison tables and graphics with many “Zhar Research Comment” sections appraising latest research. Learn many other emerging technologies, their possible impact and when.  See how many are applicable in several application sectors, derisking investment, for this is a commercially oriented report. It finds that hydrogels are increasingly recyclable but self-healing versions often last much longer and are safer and more affordable over life.

The report is balanced, examining how several hydrogels have toxicity issues with their precursors and breakdown products but alternatives are identified. Zhar Research does not find huge opportunity for hydrogels in automotive and some other sectors from 2024-2044, but very large opportunities are discovered in several other sectors. The report identifies what formulations compete with hydrogels and how that will play out, including subsuming some alternatives into composites with the best of both worlds.

Latest inputs are vital in this fast-changing field. Appropriately, the 20-year forecasts, roadmaps and research analysis in 298-page, “Hydrogels: Future Technologies and Markets 2024-2044” are heavily based on the flood of research in 2023. Enjoy latest PhD-level technical insight into what is really possible and needed. The report is continuously updated so you always get the latest. The long view fully reveals the opportunities from such radical advances as engineered living materials, for example, where hydrogels are the preferred scaffold materials and the medical implications are profound. The trends are identified, such as increasing use of biomimetics and composites.

The 28-page Executive Summary and Conclusions is sufficient for those in a hurry. The definitions, needs and context are followed by graphics and data revealing the global market for hydrogel-dominated materials and devices: 3 sectors and total $ billion 2024-2044 plus future hydrogel enabling technology by 6 functional categories $ billion 2024-2044. An infogram illustrates forthcoming hydrogel adoption. Another presents the hydrogel molecular toolkit and trends. See hydrogels in the polymer competitive landscape then the global market for hydrogel, silicone and polyurethane families $ billion 2024-2044 because they will both compete and combine. Dense graphics reveal the different hydrogels competing in latest research. See technology choices, examples, trends with a detailed hydrogel SWOT appraisal. Understand the regional bias of hydrogel research and use with sales by region 2024-2044, the hydrogel roadmap 2024-2044 by industry sector and 26 background forecasts for equipment that will incorporate hydrogels.

Chapter 2 (13 pages) Introduction explains the history, benefits and market drivers. View formulations, limitations, choice of natural vs synthetic and how, so far, most of the commercial success and research is in healthcare. 23 examples of medical hydrogel applications are tabulated against 19 others. Zhar Research does not hide the fact that hydrogel toxigens are an issue, showing types of main concern and their effects. The research pipeline is illustrated with 20 examples of hydrogel research and 42 companies commercialising hydrogels.

Medical applications of hydrogels, including contact lenses, dominate the market today and have the most ambitious objectives and funding so Chapter 3 (26 pages) concerns, “How hydrogels will be improved for medical and other purposes 2024-2044”. It analyses the hydrogel molecular toolkit and trends, six families of emerging hydrogel chemistry and functionality and future hydrogel enabling technology by six other categories covered deeply in later chapters. How will silicones and polyurethanes both compete with and combine with hydrogels? How do other emerging materials compete with hydrogels in latest research? With new appraisals, comments and predictions, Zhar Research reveals the most promising routes to improvement 2024-2044, including new biomimetics, composites and chemistry with appraisal of important new research. Then come Elastomer Hydrogel Systems EHS and evolving production technologies for hydrogels including 3D and 4D printing.  

Chapter 4. “Future hydrogels that cool buildings, solar panels, people, food, other” (45 pages) interprets these needs and possible solutions finding that they mainly lie beyond healthcare. New infogram: Major new cooling and thermal management needs arrive 2024-2044 leads five new infograms on the cooling toolkit and the hydrogel opportunity. Zhar Research explains hydrogel evaporative cooling in general, future hydrogel technologies for cooling of 6G microelectronics and solar panels, hydrogel-silica aerogel, even thermogalvanic hydrogel for synchronous evaporative cooling. Discover possible hydrogel cooling of solar panels including gathering useful water, hydroceramic hydrogel cooling of architecture, hydrogel windows to block and store heat. Learn how aerogel and hydrogel working together may cool pharmaceuticals and food, assess a self-cooling smart actuator for soft robotics and examine other emerging cooling hydrogels for food, apparel, next microchips, power electronics, data centers, large batteries, cell towers and buildings.

Hydrogels are the leading option for future self-healing so Chapter 5. “Future self-healing hydrogels” goes to 58 pages despite distillation into many new graphics. See definitions, focus, basics and drivers. Here are intrinsic or extrinsic self-healing hydrogel, the value chain, types of damage to people and things that are addressed, metrics, SWOT appraisal, technology options for self-healing hydrogels. Then comes a deep dive into physical and chemical hydrogel self-healing, competing formulations and important examples in the research pipeline. Learn self-healing hydrogels planned for anti-fouling, water-oil separation, liquid transportation, bone regeneration, drug-delivery and as cancer therapy injectables. Add their emerging use as electrical conductors for electronics and medical purposes, remote near-infrared-responsive controls, self-lubricating water-based polymeric systems, sensing, solid state electrolytes, spinal cord implants for treating paralysis, soft robotics, smart prosthetics, bioelectronics, cartilage, stretchable hydrogels for protein delivery, tissue engineering and triboelectric nanogenerators.

Chapter 6 takes 18 pages to cover, “Future hydrogel membranes and film: ion-exchange, gas separation, other”. Zhar Research finds that hydrogels have a future here but not a leading position. Some of the aspects covered are membrane difficulty levels, needs for self-healing and membrane chemistry in recent studies. Then come proposed hydrogel membranes - architectural, acoustic, battery, supercapacitor, fuel cell, electrolyte and sensorised e-skin for humans and robots. Hydrogels as gas separation, ionic conductors and ultrafiltration are also covered.

The 21 pages of Chapter 7 cover future hydrogel flexible electronics, sensors and solid-state energy storage. See chosen chemical routes: carbon, polymer, biopolymer, biomass then biopolymer hydrogel routes in more detail followed by flexible and solid-state energy storage examples including zinc-air battery electrolyte, biopolymer-based hydrogel electrolytes, supercapacitor, fuel cell, electrolyser and magneto-responsive hydrogels for biotechnological and environmental applications. Excitation-responsive, sensors, transistors, thermal hydrogels for electronics are appraised from research with Zhar Research predicting hydrogel contribution not dominance.

Chapter 8 covers “Future hydrogel Engineered Living Materials ELM” that some observers trumpet as “the next big thing” but Zhar Research advises caution, forecasting significant commercial impact but over a decade from now. See an overview, hype curve, infogram, SWOT appraisal, competition for ELM, Engineered Living Hydrogels ELH and their competition, taxonomy and obstacles with a recommended way forward for both bio-ELM and hybrid ELM where hydrogels are central. Finally, mycelial and bacterial forms are examined in more detail.

Chapter 9 at 22 pages explains future hydrogel water management: agriculture; waterproofing, anti-fouling, bioseparation. See sections on removing contaminants, bioseparation of proteins and extracting useful water from the air. Zhar Research reveals research showing metal oxide frameworks competing with hydrogels, water harvesting even while warming and precious metal recovery with reusable hydrogel. Marine recovery of coral reefs and measuring and controlling agricultural runoff pollution currently damaging coral reefs both call for hydrogels as do marine anti-fouling film and paint, all covered here. Understand agricultural soil conditioning and irrigation and some companies and research projects involved.

Chapter 10. “Future hydrogel materials in building and construction” ends the report with 14 pages on inducing hydrogel in concrete and coating concrete with it. See some company advances, polyacrylic hydrogel in cement composites, hydrogels containing nanosilica enhancing cement pastes, improved concrete with hydrogel-based internal curing agents and other options.

Zhar Research report, “Hydrogels: Future Technologies and Markets 2024-2044” is essential reading for everyone wishing to research, fund, regulate, supply or use hydrogel materials and structures. Billion-dollar new businesses await.