Tuning of the dynamics of metal ion crosslinked hydrogels by network structures

Abstract

The dynamic mechanical response of hydrogels is correlated with the intrinsic dynamics of the crosslinkers. Our experiments and theory show that polymer network structures can also affect the dynamic response of hydrogels by transducing swelling forces to the crosslinkers. Our results suggest a novel route to engineer complex time-dependent mechanical properties of soft materials for biomedical applications.