Mechanically Diverse Gels with Equal Solvent Content.

ABSTRACT: Mechanically diverse polymer gels are commonly integrated into biomedical devices, soft robots, and tissue engineering scaffolds to perform distinct yet coordinated functions in wet environments. Such multigel systems are prone to volume fluctuations and shape distortions due to differential swelling driven by osmotic solvent redistribution. Living systems evade these issues by varying proximal tissue stiffness at nearly equal water concentration. However, this feature is challenging to replicate with synthetic gels: any alteration of cross-link density affects both the gel's swellability and mechanical properties. In contrast to the conventional coupling of physical properties, we report a strategy to tune the gel modulus independent of swelling ratio by regulating network strand flexibil

SUBMITTER: Sheiko SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9228556 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature