| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T23: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
2023 Undergraduate Student Poster Contest
|
| Presentation Title |
The Mechanical Properties of Solvent-exchanged Physically Crosslinked PS-PEO-PS Triblock Copolymer Hydrogel Fibers |
| Author(s) |
Marcus Choates, Robert J Hickey, Elisabeth Lloyd |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Marcus Choates |
| Abstract Scope |
For tissue replication, a material needs to have mechanical properties similar to the tissue of the desired organ. While hydrogels offer a promising choice for tissue replication, most hydrogels lack the mechanical softness and reversibility necessary for it. A new class of physical hydrogels possess many of the necessary properties but lack mechanical strength. A prominent technique for strengthening hydrogels is via solvent exchange. This technique has been thoroughly explored for strengthening chemically crosslinked hydrogels, for example, in solvent exchange-induced phase separation. However, exploration of the effects of solvent exchange on the structure of physically crosslinked hydrogels have only just begun. This study illuminates the mechanical effects of solvent exchange on physically crosslinked PS-PEO-PS triblock copolymer hydrogel fibers. Our findings demonstrate a new class of biomedical materials, particularly for muscle fiber tissue applications. |