Definition of Hydrophilic



The term hydrophilic is used in the field of chemistry and is a physical property of molecules. The molecules are said to be hydrophilic if they are water-attracting or loving. This attraction takes place just because of the affinity between water and molecule. Hydrophilic molecules are said to be polar and hence are only soluble in polar solvents.

 


These molecules can form a hydrogen bond with other molecules. Some common examples of hydrophilic molecules include sugar, salt, starch, and cellulose. A technique known as hydrophilic membrane filtration is widely used in several industries to filter various liquids.


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