Understanding the Response of Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) Hydrogel Networks: A Statistical Mechanics-Based Framework.

ABSTRACT: Thanks to many promising properties, including biocompatibility and the ability to experience large deformations, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels are excellent candidate materials for a wide range of applications. Interestingly, the polymerization of PEGDA leads to a network microstructure that is fundamentally different from that of the "classic" polymeric gels. Specifically, PEGDA hydrogels comprise PEG chains that are interconnected by multifunctional densely grafted rod-like polyacrylates (PAs), which serve as cross-linkers. In this work, we derive a microstructurally motivated model that captures the essential features which enable deformation in PEGDA hydrogels: (1) entropic elasticity of PEG chains, (2) deformation of PA rods, and (3) PA-PA interactions. Expressio

SUBMITTER: Levin M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11325651 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature