AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

Development and 3D Printing of Interpenetrating Network Hydrogel Materials for use as Tissue-Mimetic Models

by Martha Moore Fitzgerald




Institution: Miami University
Department: Paper and Chemical Engineering
Degree: MS
Year: 2015
Keywords: Chemical Engineering; Biomedical Engineering; Hydrogel; Interpenetrating network; stress relaxation; Muscle; tissue-mimetic; alginate-polyacrylamide; 3D printing; Viscoelastic; Simulation
Record ID: 2057945
Full text PDF: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1430488189


Abstract

This thesis reports the development, and subsequent 3D printing, of a two-part polyacrylamide-alginate interpenetrating network (IPN) hydrogel material with tissue-mimetic properties. Two possible applications include medical simulation and tissue engineering. Material development was performed with single-parameter chemical concentration variations from a baseline formula to establish mechanical property trends. The concentrations of total monomer material and acrylamide crosslinker have the largest effect on elastic modulus and stress relaxation behavior, respectively. Results demonstrate that these hydrogels can be tuned to closely mimic both the elastic and viscoelastic behaviors of muscle tissue. Hardware alterations to a 3D printer allowed the two-part solution to be rapidly printed with high shape fidelity and similar mechanical properties to native tissue at a relatively low cost and on a large scale. The alginate-polyacrylamide material can be tuned in its bulk state, and 3D printed into constructs that are in the correct scale for use in tissue-mimetic applications.