Shape Memory Collagen Scaffolds Sustain Large-Scale Cyclic Loading.

ABSTRACT: Natural biopolymer hydrogels often suffer from relatively low moduli and an inability to maintain structure and mechanics under cyclic loading, limiting their utility in dynamic mechanical environments. Here, a cross-linked collagen cryogel scaffold was fabricated by precompression to densify the network. Following lyophilization, the porous scaffolds sustained >90% axial compressive strain with 200 cycles. Ogden hyperelastic modeling and second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging revealed fiber alignment, densification, and strain-stiffening contributing to resilience under repetitive large-scale loading. After rehydration, cross-linked and densified hydrogels showed network stability and recoverability under cyclic loading, with significantly reduced phase transition strains compared to no

SUBMITTER: Luo Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12406248 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature