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Updated: Dec 24, 2025
Gelatin Methacryloyl Granular Hydrogel Scaffolds: High-throughput Microgel Fabrication, Lyophilization, Chemical Assembly, and 3D Bioprinting
Published on: December 9, 2022
Synthetic self-assembled homogeneous network hydrogels with high mechanical and recoverable properties for tissue
Yan-Jun Liu1, Lian-Hua Fu, Shan Liu
1Engineering Research Center of Forestry Biomass Materials and Bioenergy, Beijing Key Laboratory of Lignocellulosic Chemistry, College of Materials Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, P. R. China. mg_ma@bjfu.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Development of hydrogels with high mechanical and recoverable properties under physiological conditions is of great importance for broadening and improving their potential applications in load-bearing artificial soft tissues. Inspired by the self-assembly of chemical entities, homogeneous network hydrogels, which contain over 90 wt% water, were synthesized via covalent cross-linking of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) triggered by microwave-assisted treatment. A structurally homogeneous network results in an evenly distributed stress that endures high strains with minimal energy dissipation, which enable the hydrogels to withstand up to 1.16 MPa of tensile stress, over seven-fold stretch length with negligible hysteresis, and sustain cyclic compression following high amplitude deformation. It is of importance for tissue replacement that the hydrogels retain these excellent properties under physiological conditions.
