3D printing of an interpenetrating network hydrogel material with tunable viscoelastic properties. (June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bootsma, Katherine; Fitzgerald, Martha M.; Free, Brandon; Dimbath, Elizabeth; Conjerti, Joe; Reese, Greg; Konkolewicz, Dominik; Berberich, Jason A.; Sparks, Jessica L.
• Is Part Of: Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials. Volume 70(2017)
• Page Start: 84
• Page End: 94
• Publication Date: 2017-06
• Subjects: APS Ammonium persulfate -- CaCO3 Calcium carbonate -- GDL D-glucono-δ-lactone -- HEA 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate -- IPN Interpenetrating polymer network -- MBAA N, N- methylenebisacrylamide -- NIPAm N-isopropylacrylamide -- TEMED tetramethylethylenediamine; 3D printing -- Additive manufacturing -- Hydrogel -- IPN -- Stress relaxation -- Viscoelasticity; Biomedical materials -- Periodicals; Biomedical materials -- Mechanical properties -- Periodicals; Biomedical materials; Biomedical materials -- Mechanical properties; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2016.07.020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-6161

Abstract

Abstract: Interpenetrating network (IPN) hydrogel materials are recognized for their unique mechanical properties. While IPN elasticity and toughness properties have been explored in previous studies, the factors that impact the time-dependent stress relaxation behavior of IPN materials are not well understood. Time-dependent (i.e. viscoelastic) mechanical behavior is a critical design parameter in the development of materials for a variety of applications, such as medical simulation devices, flexible substrate materials, cellular mechanobiology substrates, or regenerative medicine applications. This study reports a novel technique for 3D printing alginate-polyacrylamide IPN gels with tunable elastic and viscoelastic properties. The viscoelastic stress relaxation behavior of the 3D printed alginate-polyacrylamide IPN hydrogels was influenced most strongly by varying the concentration of the acrylamide cross-linker (MBAA), while the elastic modulus was affected most by varying the concentration of total monomer material. The material properties of our 3D printed IPN constructs were consistent with those reported in the biomechanics literature for soft tissues such as skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, skin and subcutaneous tissue. Graphical abstract: Highlights: A method for 3D printing an interpenetrating network hydrogel was developed. Mechanical properties of 3D printed IPNs were tuned to mimic biological tissues. Mechanical property dependence on IPN chemical composition was studied. Stress relaxation was observed at swollen equilibrium for some IPN formulations.