Characterization of hydrogel-scaffold mechanical properties and microstructure by using synchrotron propagation-based imaging

作者：Naitao Li, Xiaoman Duan, Xiao Fan Ding, Ning Zhu, Daniel Chen · 发表于：Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials/Journal of mechanical behavior of biomedical materials · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1016/j.jmbbm.2024.106844 · 被引用次数：13 · 研究领域：Bone Tissue Engineering Materials、Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications、3D Printing in Biomedical Research

Hydrogel-based scaffolds have been widely used in soft tissue regeneration due to their biocompatible and tissue-like environment for maintaining cellular functions and tissue regeneration. Understanding the mechanical properties and internal microstructure of hydrogel-based scaffold, once implanted, is imperative in tissue engineering applications and longitudinal studies. Notably, this has been challenging to date as various conventional characterization methods by, for example, mechanical testing (for mechanical properties) and microscope (for internal microstructure) are destructive as they require removing scaffolds from the implantation site and processing samples for characterization. Synchrotron radiation propagation-based imaging-computed tomography (SR-PBI-CT) is feasible and promising for non-destructive visualizing of hydrogel scaffolds. As inspired, this study aimed to perform a study on the characterization of mechanical properties and microstructure of hydrogel scaffolds based on the SR-PBI-CT. In this study, hydrogel biomaterial inks composed of 3% w/v alginate and 1% w/v gelatin were printed to form scaffolds, with some scaffolds being degraded over 3 days. Both degraded and undegraded scaffolds underwent compressive testing, with the strains being controlled at the preset values; meanwhile stresses within scaffolds were measuring, resulting the stress-strain curves. Concurrently, the scaffolds were also imaged and examined by SR-PBI-CT at Canadian Light Sour...