In this study, self-inflating expanding hydrogels synthesized based on PEGDAs of different molecular weights have been developed and characterized. The goal of this project was to show that mixed molecular weight PEGDA blends could produce a hydrogel system with tunable mechanical properties. The conclusion can be drawn that, of the eight studied compositions, P8 hydrogel with the described mechanical properties is promising expander candidates. In future studies in vivo tests will be done to histologically investigate the clinical applicability of these hydrogels for tissue expansion. The ability to control the pore size and mechanical properties by controlling the proportion of molecular weights within the polymer blend makes this approach a unique platform with marked potential for clinical use.
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