Hydrogel mechanical properties in altered gravity.
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Peer-reviewed
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Abstract
Exposure to altered gravity influences cellular behaviour in cell cultures. Hydrogels are amongst the most common materials used to produce tissue-engineering scaffolds, and their mechanical properties play a crucial role in cell-matrix interaction. However, little is known about the influence of altered gravity on hydrogel properties. Here we study the mechanical properties of Poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and PEGDA incorporated with graphene oxide (GO) by performing tensile tests in micro and hypergravity during a Parabolic flight campaign, and by comparing them to the same tests performed in Earth gravity. We show that gravity levels do not result in a statistically significant difference in Young's modulus.
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Acknowledgements: We thank the Novespace and the European Space Agency (ESA) team members of the 72nd Parabolic flight campaign for their contribution to making this experiment possible. We thank Mian Long, Shujin Sun, Liu Lin for useful discussions. We acknowledge funding from ESA Microgravity Application Promotion WHISKIES, BELSPO, the Fond David and Alice Van Buuren, EU Graphene Flagship, ERC GYSONCOR and Hetero2D, ESPRC grants EP/V000055/1, EP/P02081X/1, EP/L016087/1, EP/K017144/1, EP/K01711X/1. MM, FC, CR acknowledge the financial support of ESA-CMSA Project GROWS—“Wound healing and skin reconstruction in unloading conditions”, funded by ASI (ASI contract No. 2021-16-U.0).
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2373-8065
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Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/K017144/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L016087/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/P02081X/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/V000055/1)