Biomimetic Strain-Stiffening Self-Assembled Hydrogels
Yiming Wang (East China University of Science and Technology)
Zhi Xu (East China University of Science and Technology)
Matija Lovrak (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
Vincent A.A. le Sage (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
Kai Zhang (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
Xuhong Guo (East China University of Science and Technology)
Rienk Eelkema (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
Eduardo Mendes (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
Jan H. van Esch (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
Supramolecular structures with strain-stiffening properties are ubiquitous in nature but remain rare in the lab. Herein, we report on strain-stiffening supramolecular hydrogels that are entirely produced through the self-assembly of synthetic molecular gelators. The involved gelators self-assemble into semi-flexible fibers, which thereby crosslink into hydrogels. Interestingly, these hydrogels are capable of stiffening in response to applied stress, resembling biological intermediate filaments system. Furthermore, strain-stiffening hydrogel networks embedded with liposomes are constructed through orthogonal self-assembly of gelators and phospholipids, mimicking biological tissues in both architecture and mechanical properties. This work furthers the development of biomimetic soft materials with mechanical responsiveness and presents potentially enticing applications in diverse fields, such as tissue engineering, artificial life, and strain sensors.