About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Biological Materials Science
|
| Presentation Title |
Mechanical Performance of Biomimetic Silk-Reinforced IPN Hydrogel Composite Tubular Constructs for Coronary Artery Replacement |
| Author(s) |
Dekel Maroz, Yana Portnov, Mirit Sharabi |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Dekel Maroz |
| Abstract Scope |
Small-diameter coronary artery grafts often fail due to compliance mismatch and mechanical incompatibility. We developed a silk-reinforced interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel composite inspired by the native arterial wall. The IPN matrix, based on crosslinked alginate-polyacrylamide, mimics the extensibility of elastin and proteoglycans, while silk fibers mimic collagen, providing anisotropic reinforcement. Tubular constructs were fabricated using fiber-reinforced IPN sheets. Composite samples were tested under uniaxial tension, cyclic loading, and tear resistance, while tubular samples underwent hydrostatic pressure testing. The composites achieved tensile strengths of 6.77–8.13 MPa, ~47% strain-to-failure, toughness over 5.8 MJ/m³, and high tear resistance-consistent with physiological values. The material withstood large deformations and exhibited strain-stiffening behavior. Tear resistance tests showed the composite remained intact even with pre-existing notches. By mimicking key structural features-layered composition, fiber architecture, and mechanical behavior-this biomimetic material demonstrates strong potential for advancing structure-guided design in next-generation coronary grafts with enhanced mechanical compatibility. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Composites, Biomaterials, Mechanical Properties |