Back to results
US 9,878,506 B2Granted
Compliant yet tough hydrogel systems as ultrasound transmission agents
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsXuanhe Zhao, Shaoting Lin, Hyunwoo Yuk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method for making a tough and compliant hydrogel. A precursor hydrogel is made of a first polymer selected to maintain high elasticity and a second polymer selected to dissipate mechanical energy. The precursor hydrogel is stretched to a multiple of its original length to form a pre-stretched hydrogel. The pre-stretched hydrogel is allowed to relax and is soaked in a biocompatible solvent to reach equilibrium swelling of the pre-stretched hydrogel whereby shear modulus of the hydrogel is reduced.
Claims4
Method for making a tough and compliant hydrogel comprising:
- combining a polymer network selected to maintain elasticity and a sacrificial chain polymer network to dissipate mechanical energy to form an interpenetrating hydrogel;
- stretching the interpenetrating hydrogel a first time to a first multiple of its original length to form a pre-stretched hydrogel;
- allowing the pre-stretched hydrogel to relax;
- soaking the relaxed hydrogel in a biocompatible solvent to reach equilibrium swelling of the hydrogel;
- and
- stretching the interpenetrating hydrogel a second time to a second multiple of its original length wherein the second multiple is greater than the first multiple, whereby shear modulus of the hydrogel is reduced.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.