Status and future scope of hydrogels in wound healing: Synthesis, materials and evaluation

[Display omitted] •Hydrogels have been widely applied in wound healing.•Mechanical properties and biocompatibility of hydrogels can be improved by appropriate cross-linking methods.•The use of novel materials for the preparation of hydrogels can expand its application.•Test methods for evaluating hydrogels wound dressings. The hydrogel wound dressing is an ideal wound treatment because of its excellent biocompatibility, high moisture resistance and the ability to activate immune cells to speed wound healing. However, the biomedical applications of hydrogels are limited currently, due to their poor mechanical properties and insufficient adhesion. In order to expand the scope of its application, people have explored new methods of chemical and physical cross-linking, designed new composite hydrogels, and introduced effective energy dissipation mechanisms. In this review, we also discuss materials used to produce hydrogels, focused on TCM-based hydrogel materials with bioactive properties that promote healing. Moreover, methods for evaluating hydrogel wound dressings are discussed to guide the preparation of new hydrogels.