waterloving

Waterloving is a nontechnical term used to describe the tendency of a substance, surface, or organism to interact with or be immersed in water. It is essentially a lay synonym for hydrophilic or aqueous-compatible traits. In chemistry and materials science, waterloving (hydrophilic) substances possess polar or charged groups that form hydrogen bonds with water, leading to high solubility or strong dispersion in water and low contact angles. Common examples include salts, sugars, alcohols, and many polymers such as cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol. Water-loving surfaces exhibit low contact angles and may swell when immersed in water; they often facilitate wetting and adhesion by water-based fluids.

In biology, waterloving describes organisms or tissues that depend on water or an aqueous internal environment. Many aquatic organisms live in water; mucous membranes and cytosol in cells are water-rich and require hydration for function. Some materials are engineered to be waterloving to improve biocompatibility, solubility of drugs, or sensor performance in aqueous environments. The concept contrasts with water-repelling or hydrophobic characteristics, where nonpolar regions resist water and water forms droplets on the surface.

Because waterloving is a general, informal term, scientists usually use hydrophilic, hydrophilicity, or aqueous compatibility to describe similar properties in a precise way.