Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-5nwft Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-10T23:48:08.132Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Fiber-reinforced Hydogels for Soft Tissue Replacement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Animesh Agrawal  and
Paul Calvert
Animesh Agrawal
Affiliation:
g_aagrawal@umassd.edu, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, Materials and Textiles, North dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States
Paul Calvert
Affiliation:
g_aagrawal@umassd.edu, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, Materials and Textiles, North dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States
Get access

Abstract

Synthetic hydrogels have poor mechanical properties that limit their use in load bearing applications. In contrast, biological hydrogels are tough and strong due to reinforcement with nano to micron size fibers. Our work is focused on designing new class of hydrogel assemblies based on fiber reinforced hydrogel composites. In analogy to the spinning of a spider web, a pultrusion system was developed to spin micron-diameter polymer fibers from solution in order to build predefined three dimensional patterned fiber-reinforced hydrogel structures. The gel chemistry is based on epoxy-amine crosslinking. We have formulated various epoxy-amine gels with swellability ranges from 0% to 1000% in water. The fibrous reinforcement affects the swelling and mechanical properties of the gel. For mechanical characterization flat punch probe indentation technique was performed. The effect of fiber density and extent of swelling on the reinforcement of epoxy matrix is investigated. Based on a better understanding of fiber reinforcement of gels, we hope to be able to design strong gels for biomedical devices and soft machines.

Keywords

compositebiomimetic (assembly)toughness
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1234: Symposium QQ – Responsive Gels and Biopolymer Assemblies , 2009 , 1234-QQ10-04
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Peppas, N.A., Hilt, J.Z., Khademhosseini, A., and Langer, R., Advanced Material, 18, 1345 (2006).Google Scholar
2 Calvert, P., Advanced Materials. 21, 743 (2009).Google Scholar
3 Xu, T.H.H., Jiao, K., Zhu, L., Brown, H.R., and Wang, H., Advanced Material, 19, 1622 (2007).Google Scholar
4 Stauffer, S.R. and Peppas, N.A., Polymer, 33, 3932 (1992).Google Scholar
5 Kong, H.J., Wong, E., and Mooney, D.J., Macromolecules, 36, 4582 (2003).Google Scholar
6 Muniz, E.C. and Geuskens, G., Macromolecules, 34, 4480 (2001).Google Scholar
7 Hassan, C.M. and Peppas, N.A., Advances in Polymer Science, 153, 37 (2000).Google Scholar
8 Wainwright, S.A., Biggs, W.D., Currey, J.D., and Gosline, J.M., Mechanical Design in Organism., Princeton University Press, Princeton, NY. (1986).Google Scholar
9 Yoshioka, Y. and Calvert, P., Experimental Mechanics, 42, 404 (2002).Google Scholar
10 Lin, W.C., Otim, K.J., Lenhart, J.L., Cole, P.J., and Shull, K.R., Journal of Materials Research, 24, 957 (2009).Google Scholar