IMAGING SCIENCE AND PHOTOCHEMISTRY ›› 2023, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (5): 197-229.DOI: 10.7517/issn.1674-0475.230703

• Review and Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Water-soluble Photoinitiators: State of Art and Applications in Biomedical Science

SUN Xun1, LUO Peng2, WANG Tao2, YUAN Binbin2, PANG Yulian1,2, ZOU Yingquan1,2   

  1. 1. College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P.R. China;
    2. Hubei Gurun Technology Co., Ltd., Jingmen 448000, Hubei, P.R. China
  • Received:2023-07-10 Online:2023-09-23 Published:2023-10-28

Abstract: In recent years, waterborne photo-curable technology have been used in biomedical applications, such as dental materials, 3D biological printing, in vitro polymerization, cell encapsulation, etc. Water-soluble photoinitiators exhibiting good water solubility, low cytotoxicity, and high initiation efficiency have become key substances for the widespread development and application of photo-curable technology in biomedical applications. Therefore, researchers designed and synthesized a serious of water-soluble photoinitiators, and explored the application of this photoinitiators in drug delivery, bio-inspired detoxification, cell sensor, cartilage repair, volumetric bioprinting, biological tissue adhesive and photodynamic tumor therapy, and so on.In this review, the recent state of art of water-soluble photoinitiator including types, photoinitiation mechanisms, and application examples in biomedicine of water-based photoinitiators is provided. Moreover, the perspective on the future development of water-soluble photoinitiators is also discussed, hoping to provide some inspiration for the development and application of water-based photoinitiating systems.

Key words: water-soluble photoinitiators, type I water-soluble photoinitiators, type II water-soluble photoinitiators, two-photon water-soluble photoninitiators, biomedical applications