Patent ID: 8628789

Claim:
A hydrogel comprising: (a) 0.3-50.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the hydrogel, of a water gellant comprising a polymer backbone P having the structure according to formula (A) or formula (B): P[L-(4H)] n (A) or [P-L-(4H)-L-] p (B) wherein: n is in the range of 1.8 to 10; p is in the range of 2 to 25; L is a hydrophobic linker selected from the group consisting of cyclic, linear or branched C 2 -C 24 alkylene groups, C 6 -C 24 arylene groups, C 7 -C 24 alkarylene groups and C 7 -C 24 arylalkylene groups, wherein the alkylene groups, arylene groups, alkarylene groups and arylalkylene groups optionally, comprise 1-5 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N and S, wherein said hydrophobic linker L is covalently connected to the 4H-unit via a urea, thiourea, urethane, thiourethane, amide, ester, carbonate, secondary amine, tertiary amine or ether moiety, and wherein the polymer backbone P and the hydrophobic linker L are connected via a urea, thiourea, urethane, thiourethane, amide, carbonate, secondary amine or tertiary amine moiety; and wherein 4H represents the 4H-unit that has the general formula (1) or (2): wherein the C—X i and the C—Y i linkages each represent a single or double bond, n″ is 4 or more, and X i represent donors or acceptors that form hydrogen bridges with the H-bridge forming monomeric unit containing a corresponding general form (2) linked to them with X i representing a donor and Y i an acceptor and vice versa; and (b) 50.0 to 99.7 wt. % water.