Table 2.
A summary of experimental factors affecting the tensile modulus of the hydrogels. Crosslinker types tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) and polycaprolactone dimethacyrlate (PCLX) were used.
| Experiment Number | Mo:I Ratio | Theoretical Mn (Da) | Crosslinker | Crosslink Density (mol %) | Ethylene Glycol (mL) | Tensile Modulus (MPa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75:1 | 10,000 | TEGDMA | 4.5 | 3 | 0.29 ± 0.03 |
| 2 | 75:1 | 10,000 | PCLX | 4.5 | 3 | 0.43 ± 0.02 |
| 3 | 75:1 | 10,000 | PCLX | 9 | 3 | 0.83 ± 0.07 |
| 4 | 75:1 | 10,000 | TEGDMA | 4.5 | 2 | 0.48 ± 0.03 |
| 5 | 75:1 | 10,000 | PCLX | 4.5 | 2 | 0.76 ± 0.05 |
| 6 | 150:1 | 20,000 | TEGDMA | 2.5 | 2 | 0.31 ± 0.02 |
| 7 | 150:1 | 20,000 | PCLX | 2.5 | 2 | 0.49 ± 0.03 |
| Conventional pHEMA* | - | TEGDMA | 1.8 | - | 0.63 ± 0.04 | |
| Heart Tissue (rat)** | - | - | - | - | 0.59 ± 0.22 | |
| Scar Tissue** | - | - | - | - | 4.7 ± 1.4 |
*
Conventional pHEMA is polymerized with ammonium persulfate and sodium bisulfate.
**
Heart and scar tissue provided by Steve Korte, Alicia Gonzalez, and Mike Reigner.