Kinetic Investigation of Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogel Formation via Perfusion-Based Frontal Photopolymerization: Influence of Free-Radical Polymerization Conditions on Frontal Velocity and Swelling Gradients

摘要

Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels are extensively used as scaffolds in tissue engineering. The ability to spatially control hydrogel properties is critical for designing scaffolds that direct cell behavior and tissue regeneration. To this end, we have recently developed a polymerization technique, perfusion-based frontal photopolymerization, to generate tunable gradients in PEG hydrogels. This study explores the effects of polymerization conditions on the velocity of the propagating front and its influence on gradients in hydrogel swelling. Alterations in photoinitiator perfusion rate result in the largest variations in frontal velocity and in the magnitude of the swelling gradient among all polymerization conditions investigated.