Stretch activated molecule immobilization in disulfide linked double network hydrogels.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Biological tissues utilize mechanical forces for localized functionalization.
• Dynamic covalent crosslinks, like disulfide bonds, offer tunable material properties.
• Mechanochemistry in synthetic materials remains an area for development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop tough hydrogel networks with stretch-activated mechanochemistry.
• To achieve simultaneous stretchability and mechanochemical functionalization.
• To guide the design of hydrogels balancing mechanical properties and responsiveness.

Main Methods:

• Utilized disulfide bonds as dynamic covalent crosslinks in polyethylene glycol hydrogels.
• Reinforced hydrogels with a sodium alginate network for dual crosslinking.
• Quantified mechanochemical response via thiol detection using a fluorophore during stretching.

Main Results:

• Disulfide bond breakage was more activated in highly stretchable hydrogels under low stress.
• Structure-property relationships were elucidated for mechanical and mechanochemical performance.
• Demonstrated stretch-activated immobilization of a peptide to promote human fibroblast growth.

Conclusions:

• Developed a novel double network hydrogel with stretch-activated mechanochemistry.
• Provided guidance for designing hydrogels with tunable mechanical and functional properties.
• Opened pathways for multifunctionalizable hydrogels in biotechnology and biomedical applications.