Get started
Work

Shear and Compressive Stiffening of Dual-Cross-Linked Alginate Hydrogels with Tunable Viscoelasticity

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Alginate biopolymers were modified with norbornene (Nb) and tetrazine (Tz) functional groups to generate hydrogel networks with tunable ionic and covalent cross-linking for modeling the strain-stiffening behavior of extracellular matrix. The mechanical properties of the hydrogels were investigated by oscillatory shear rheology, axial compression, and stress relaxation analysis. Introducing Nb-Tz irreversible covalent cross-links yielded dual-cross-linked hydrogels with stiffer and more elastic properties compared to purely ionically cross-linked alginate networks. The strain stiffening effect was observed under both shear amplitude sweeps and stepwise axial compression tests for the dual-cross-linked hydrogels. This study provides valuable insights into the structure-property relationship of dual-cross-linked biopolymer hydrogels for designing tunable extracellular matrix mimics of fibrotic tissues.
DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.5c00094
Authors: Kexin Zhang, Zecheng Li, Yu-Chang Chen, Il-Chul Yoon, Adam Graham, Kyle Vining
Language: English
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
Funders: National Science Foundation, American Cancer Society, Harvard University, National Institutes of Health, National Nanotechnology Coordinating Office, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems
Awards: G1921605633, NNCI: Center for Nanoscale Systems (CNS), G2347808973, G444028470, G4671203234, Targeting mechanical dysregulation of stromal-myeloid crosstalk in Jak2-mediated myeloproliferative neoplasms, Targeting mechanical regulation of monocyte fate in head and neck cancer.
OpenAlex ID: W4409742045
FWCI: 3.042
Cites: 58
Cited by: 13
Related to: 10