UV Dose Governs UV-Polymerized Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Modulus. (10th October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sheth, Saahil; Jain, Era; Karadaghy, Amin; Syed, Sana; Stevenson, Hunter; Zustiak, Silviya P.
• Other Names: Miao Shida Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: International journal of polymer science. Volume 2017(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-10-10
• Subjects: Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymers; Periodicals; 547.7
• DOI: 10.1155/2017/5147482
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1687-9422

Abstract

Abstract : Polyacrylamide (PAA) hydrogels have become a widely used tool whose easily tunable mechanical properties, biocompatibility, thermostability, and chemical inertness make them invaluable in many biological applications, such as cell mechanosensitivity studies. Currently, preparation of PAA gels involves mixtures of acrylamide, bisacrylamide, a source of free radicals, and a chemical stabilizer. This method, while generally well accepted, has its drawbacks: long polymerization times, unstable and toxic reagents, and tedious preparation. Alternatively, PAA gels could be made by free radical polymerization (FRP) using ultraviolet (UV) photopolymerization, a method which is quicker, less tedious, and less toxic. Here, we describe a simple strategy based on total UV energy for determining the optimal UV crosslinking conditions that lead to optimal hydrogel modulus.