ABSTRACT A PROCESS FOR PREPARING HYDROGELS A process for preparing hydrogels is disclosed. Said process comprises passing reac-tants comprising a monomer, an initiator and a cross-linker through a co-rotating twin screw extruder, the co-rotating twin screw extruder being operated at a screw speed of at least 200 rpm and comprising an inlet zone, an outlet zone, and in between the inlet zone and the outlet zone at least one mixing zone, at least one conveying zone and at least one back-mixing zone, wherein the back-mixing zone comprises of restricting elements which restrict the reactants from moving forward in the co-rotating twin screw extruder until a forward force sufficient to overcome the restriction is achieved, such that the co-rotating twin screw extruder provides sufficient shear energy and residence time to the reactants to (co)polymerize and produce hy-drogel having a water uptake greater than 100 g/g.
