title: Arrays of 3D double-network hydrogels for the high-throughput discovery of materials with enhanced physical and biological properties.
abstract: Synthetic hydrogels are attractive biomaterials due to their similarity to natural tissues and their chemical tunability, which can impart abilities to respond to environmental cues, e.g. temperature, pH and light. The mechanical properties of hydrogels can be enhanced by the generation of a double-network. Here, we report the development of an array platform that allows the macroscopic synthesis of up to 80 single- and double-network hydrogels on a single microscope slide. This new platform allows for the screening of hydrogels as 3D features in a high-throughput format with the added dimension of significant control over the compressive and tensile properties of the materials, thus widening their potential application. The platform is adaptable to allow different hydrogels to be generated, with the potential ability to tune and alter the first and second network, and represents an exciting tool in material and biomaterial discovery.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, EaStCHEM, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK.
authors.forename: Cairnan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duffy
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, EaStCHEM, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Venturato
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Faraday Building, King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3Jl, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Callanan
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, EaStCHEM, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lilienkampf
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, EaStCHEM, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK. Electronic address: mark.bradley@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bradley
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D019245:Compressive Strength; D006367:HeLa Cells; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels
keywords: Biomaterial; Double-network; High-throughput screening; Hydrogel; Microarray; Polymer