Catalytic Hydrogels and Hydrogel-Based Composites

Catalytic hydrogels represent a groundbreaking class of materials that integrate the unique properties of hydrogels with catalytic functionality, offering transformative solutions across environmental remediation, biotechnology, and industrial processes. This chapter highlights the synthesis and utilization of hydrogel-nanoparticle composites, demonstrating their efficacy in pollutant degradation, energy conversion, and chemical synthesis. Photocatalytic hydrogels, particularly those incorporating TiO2 and ZnO, exhibit remarkable efficiency in degrading organic contaminants and reducing heavy metals like CrVI. Electrocatalytic hydrogels are explored for their role in oxygen reduction reactions (ORR), hydrogen evolution reactions (HER), and nitrogen reduction reactions (NRR). Additionally, heterogeneous catalyst hydrogels, including Ag-based and Fe3O4-hydrogel systems, showcase high reusability and stability in treating organic and inorganic pollutants.