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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Aug 28.
Published in final edited form as: Mater Horiz. 2019 Jun 5;6(8):1625–1631. doi: 10.1039/c9mh00375d

Fig. 2. Shear-thinning and self-healing properties of the alginate microgel supporting medium.

Fig. 2.

(a) Storage (G’) and loss (G”) moduli of alginate microgel supporting medium (mean microgel diameter = 7.0 ± 2.8 μm) as a function of frequency. G’ is larger than G” over the measured frequency range and both moduli exhibit frequency independence. Viscosity measurements of alginate microgel supporting medium as a function of (b) shear rate and (c) shear strain demonstrate its shear-thinning behavior. (d) G’ and G” of the alginate microgel supporting medium as a function of shear strain exhibit its shear-yielding behavior and gel-to-sol transition at higher shear strain. (e) Shear moduli and (f) viscosity changes in dynamic strain tests of the alginate microgel supporting medium with alternating low (1%) and high (100%) strains at 1 Hz demonstrate its rapid recovery of strength and viscosity within seconds, which indicates “self-healing” or thixotropic properties. (g) Frequency sweep (at 1 % strain) and (h) strain sweep (at 1 Hz) tests of the alginate microgel supporting medium after photocrosslinking under low-level UV light. G’ is larger than G” over the measured frequency and strain ranges and both moduli exhibit frequency and strain independence, indicating that the photocrosslinked alginate microgel supporting medium is mechanically stable.