Chitosan-Based Polyelectrolyte Complex Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications 57 Silvia Vasiliu, Stefania Racovita, Marcel Popa, Lacramioara Ochiuz, and Catalina Anisoara Peptu Contents 1 Introduction ................................................................................. 1696 2 Polyelectrolyte Complexes with a Hydrogel Character ................................... 1697 3 Polyelectrolyte Complex Hydrogels of Chitosan .......................................... 1698 3.1 Polyelectrolyte Complex Hydrogels Based on Chitosan and Synthetic Polyanions ............................................................................ 1699 3.2 Polyelectrolyte Complex Hydrogels Based on Chitosan and Natural Polyanions ............................................................................ 1710 4 Conclusion .................................................................................. 1718 5 Future Scope ................................................................................ 1719 References ...................................................................................... 1719 S. Vasiliu · S. Racovita “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Iasi, Romania M. Popa Department of Natural and Synthetic Polymers, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Iasi, Romania Academy of Romanian Scientists, Bucharest, Romania L. Ochiuz Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania C. A. Peptu (*) Department of Natural and Synthetic Polymers, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Iasi, Romania Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Department of Biomaterials and Composites, AGH University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland e-mail: catipeptu@ch.tuiasi.ro; catipeptu@yahoo.co.uk # Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 Md. I. H. Mondal (ed.), Cellulose-Based Superabsorbent Hydrogels, Polymers and Polymeric Composites: A Reference Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77830-3_56 1695