I-Corps: Meso-indentation System for Ultra-soft Biomaterials

I-Corps：用于超软生物材料的细观压痕系统

• 批准号: 2317510
• 负责人: Lihua Lou
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: Florida International University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-06-01 至 2024-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2317510&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Meso; indentation; System; Ultra

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is a system to characterize soft materials mechanically. Mechanical characterization of ultra-soft materials on the meso-scale is critical for tissue engineering scaffolds, structural and packaging materials, foams and adhesives, detergents and cosmetics, paints, food additives, lubricants, and fuel additives. However, the current mechanical characterization technique for soft and ultra-soft materials relies heavily on tensile testing. The main limitations are 1) high standard deviation due to difficulty preparing uniform samples, 2) sample damage after testing, and 3) inability to measure viscous liquid materials. The unique advantage of this meso-indentation methodology is the ability to capture mechanical properties during indentation pull-on and pull-off events of ultra-soft materials. Another novelty of the presented testbed is the in-situ visualization of adhesion events through a light sensor. Therefore, this tool can improve processing time in manufacturing biomimetic cardiac patches, control the quality, and improve the functional safety for implantation by documenting successful tissue scaffolds in manufacturing. Beyond that, this tool also has potential applications in food production, automotive oil production, and aerospace industries.This I-Corps project is based on developing a system capable of accurate mechanical performance characterizations for soft and ultra-soft materials on the centimeter scale. It comprises an adaptor attached to the mechanical load frame actuator, an indenter probe holder, a polymer-based indenter probe, a sample holder disposed below the indenter probe and configured to hold the soft and ultra-soft material, and a light sensor. The unique advantages of this system include 1) the ability to capture adhesion forces and in-situ adhesion events, 2) the elastic modulus range that concerns this testing methodology ranges from 0.5 kPa to 40 MPa, and 3) adaptability to conventional tabletop mechanical frames. Beyond that, this proprietary method works for a wide range of biomimetic materials, such as solids, semi-solid, and liquid forms, with anisotropic and heterogeneous properties. For tissue engineering, the acquired data will provide critical benchmarking values and evaluate the feasibility of biomaterials or bio-constructs for tissue therapies. For example, it can effectively improve the quality of cardiac patches by guiding the compatibility of mechanical properties between native and artificial materials. It also limits complications, enhancing functional performances, improving maturation, and reducing cardiac patients' hospitalization.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该 I-Corps 项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是一个以机械方式表征软材料的系统。细观尺度超软材料的机械表征对于组织工程支架、结构和包装材料、泡沫和粘合剂、洗涤剂和化妆品、油漆、食品添加剂、润滑剂和燃料添加剂至关重要。然而，当前软和超软材料的机械表征技术在很大程度上依赖于拉伸测试。主要限制是1）由于难以制备均匀样品而导致高标准偏差，2）测试后样品损坏，以及3）无法测量粘性液体材料。这种细观压痕方法的独特优势是能够捕获超软材料压痕拉紧和拉脱事件期间的机械性能。所提出的测试台的另一个新颖之处是通过光传感器对粘附事件进行原位可视化。因此，该工具可以通过记录制造过程中成功的组织支架来缩短制造仿生心脏补片的处理时间、控制质量并提高植入的功能安全性。除此之外，该工具在食品生产、汽车石油生产和航空航天工业中也具有潜在应用。I-Corps 项目的基础是开发一种能够在厘米级精确表征软质和超软材料机械性能的系统。它包括附接至机械负载框架致动器的适配器、压头探针支架、基于聚合物的压头探针、布置在压头探针下方并配置为固定软材料和超软材料的样品支架以及光传感器。该系统的独特优势包括 1) 捕获粘附力和原位粘附事件的能力，2) 涉及该测试方法的弹性模量范围为 0.5 kPa 至 40 MPa，3) 对传统桌面机械框架的适应性。除此之外，这种专有方法适用于各种具有各向异性和异质特性的仿生材料，例如固体、半固体和液体形式。对于组织工程，获得的数据将提供关键的基准值并评估生物材料或生物结构用于组织治疗的可行性。例如，它可以通过指导天然材料和人造材料之间机械性能的兼容性来有效提高心脏补片的质量。它还可以限制并发症，增强功能表现，促进成熟，并减少心脏病患者的住院治疗。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Multiscale mechanics of polydimethylsiloxane: A comparison of meso‐ and micro‐cyclic deformation behavior

聚二甲基硅氧烷的多尺度力学：介观和微观循环变形行为的比较

• DOI: 10.1002/app.55546
• 发表时间: 2024-04-06
• 期刊: Journal of Applied Polymer Science
• 影响因子: 3
• 作者: Lihua Lou;Nicole Bacca;Marshall S. Ma;Pranjal Nautiyal;Thomas G. Bifano;Arvind Agarwal
• 通讯作者: Arvind Agarwal