title: Tunable stress relaxation behavior of an alginate-polyacrylamide hydrogel: comparison with muscle tissue.
abstract: Factors controlling the time-dependent mechanical properties of interpenetrating network (IPN) hydrogel materials are not well understood. In this study, alginate-polyacrylamide IPN were synthesized to mimic the stress relaxation behavior and elastic modulus of porcine muscle tissue. Hydrogel samples were created with single-parameter chemical concentration variations from a baseline formula to establish trends. The concentration of total monomer material had the largest effect on the elastic modulus, while concentration of the acrylamide cross-linker, N,N-methylenebis(acrylamide) (MBAA), changed the stress relaxation behavior most effectively. The IPN material was then tuned to mimic the mechanical response of muscle tissue using these trends. Swelling the hydrogel samples to equilibrium resulted in a dramatic decrease in both elastic modulus and stress relaxation behavior. Collectively, the results demonstrate that alginate-polyacrylamide IPN hydrogels can be tuned to closely mimic both the elastic and the viscoelastic behaviors of muscle tissue, although swelling detrimentally affects these desired properties.
authors: Department of Chemical, Paper and Biomedical Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, United States.
authors: Martha M
authors: MM
authors: Fitzgerald
authors: Department of Chemical, Paper and Biomedical Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, United States.
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Bootsma
authors: Department of Chemical, Paper and Biomedical Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, United States.
authors: Jason A
authors: JA
authors: Berberich
authors: Department of Chemical, Paper and Biomedical Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, United States.
authors: Jessica L
authors: JL
authors: Sparks
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000187:drug effects*; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects; D013552:Swine; D000099166:Polyacrylamides
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000464:Alginates; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D000099166:Polyacrylamides