title: Poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels with adaptable mechanical and degradation properties for use in biomedical applications.
abstract: Requirements of hydrogels for drug delivery, wound dressings, and surgical implantation can be extensive, including suitable mechanical properties and tailorable degradation time frames. Herein, an adaptable PEG-based hydrogel, whose mechanical properties and degradation rate can be systematically adjusted to meet these criteria by altering simple variables such as the PEG molecular weight, is described. The performance of these hydrogels in three physical manipulations (pushing, pulling, and folding), representative of manipulations that they may undergo during typical biomedical use, is also assessed. While not all of these formulations can withstand these manipulations, a subset did, and it is intended to further optimize these formulations for specific clinical applications. Additionally, the outcomes of the physical manipulation tests indicate that simply having a high modulus does not correlate with biomedical applicability.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parlato
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reichert
authors.forename: Neal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barney
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D004229:Dithiothreitol; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D004229:Dithiothreitol