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Incorporating nanoparticles into injectable hydrogels is a well-known technique for improving the mechanical properties of these materials. However, significant differences in the mechanical properties of the polymer matrix and the nanoparticles can result in localized stress concentrations at the polymer-nanoparticle interface. This situation can lead to problems such as particle-matrix debonding, void formation, and material failure. This work introduces boronic acid/boronate ester dynamic covalent bonds (DCBs) as energy dissipation sites to mitigate stress concentrations at the polymer-nanoparticle interface. Once boronic acid groups were immobilized on the surface of SiO nanoparticles (SiO-BA) and incorporated into an alginate matrix, the nanocomposite hydrogels exhibited enhanced viscoelastic properties. Compared to unmodified SiO nanoparticles, introducing SiO nanoparticles with boronic acid on their surface improved the structural integrity and stability of the hydrogel. In addition, nanoparticle-reinforced hydrogels showed increased stiffness and deformation resistance compared to controls. These properties were dependent on nanoparticle concentration. Injectability tests showed shear-thinning behavior for the modified hydrogels with injection force within clinically acceptable ranges and superior recovery.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/gels10100638 | DOI Listing |
Nanoscale
September 2025
Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK.
The mechanical properties of the polymeric substrate or matrix where a cell grows affect cell behavior. Most studies have focused on relating elastic properties of polymeric substrates, which are time-independent, to cell behaviors. However, polymeric substrates and biological systems exhibit a time-dependent, often viscoelastic, mechanical response.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMater Horiz
September 2025
MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, PR China.
Globular proteins, traditionally regarded as non-structural biomolecules due to the limited load-bearing capacity in their monomeric states, are increasingly recognized as valuable building blocks for functional-mechanical materials. Their inherent bioactivity, chemical versatility, and structural tunability enable the design of materials that combine biological functionality with tailored mechanical performance. This review highlights recent advances in engineering globular proteins-spanning natural systems (serum albumins, enzymes, milk globulins, silk sericin, and soy protein isolates) to recombinant architectures including tandem-repeat proteins-into functional-mechanical platforms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhys Chem Chem Phys
September 2025
Departamento de Física, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Av. España 1680, Casilla 110V, Valparaíso, Chile.
Reversible control of spin-dependent thermoelectricity mechanical strain provides a platform for next-generation energy harvesting and thermal logic circuits. Using first-principles and Boltzmann transport calculations, we demonstrate that monolayer NiI undergoes a strain-driven semiconductor-to-half-metal transition, enabled by the selective closure of its spin-down band gap while preserving a robust ferromagnetic ground state. Remarkably, this transition is accompanied by a giant, non-monotonic violation of the Wiedemann-Franz law, with the Lorenz number enhanced up to 7.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChemSusChem
September 2025
Stokes Laboratories, School of Engineering, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland.
The development of mechanically robust, biocompatible, and biodegradable hydrogels remains a significant challenge for biomedical applications involving load-bearing soft tissues. Herein, a tubular lignin-derived hydrogel is engineered to assess its physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties. Kraft and organosolv lignin are systematically compared at varying crosslinker concentrations to determine their effect on pore morphology, swelling behavior, and mechanical performance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Comput Chem
September 2025
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, Bangladesh.
This study presents a comprehensive first-principles and device-performance investigation of alkali metal-based anti-perovskites ZBrO (Z = K, Rb, Cs, and Fr) for advanced optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications. Using density functional theory (DFT) with GGA-PBE and mGGA-rSCAN functionals, we analyzed the structural, electronic, optical, mechanical, phonon, population, and thermoelectric properties of these compounds. All ZBrO materials exhibit direct band gaps and strong optical absorption in the visible-UV spectrum.
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