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Xu Z, Yue P, Feng JJ. A theory of hydrogel mechanics that couples swelling and external flow. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:5389-5406. [PMID: 38932626 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00424h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Two aspects of hydrogel mechanics have been studied separately in the past. The first is the swelling and deswelling of gels in a quiescent solvent bath triggered by an environmental stimulus such as a change in temperature or pH, and the second is the solvent flow around and into a gel domain, driven by an external pressure gradient or moving boundary. The former neglects convection due to external flow, whereas the latter neglects solvent diffusion driven by a gradient in chemical potential. Motivated by engineering and biomedical applications where both aspects coexist and potentially interact with each other, this work presents a poroelasticity model that integrates these two aspects into a single framework, and demonstrates how the coupling between the two gives rise to novel physics in relatively simple one-dimensional and two-dimensional flows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zelai Xu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Pengtao Yue
- Department of Mathematics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - James J Feng
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada
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2
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Xu Z, Yue P, Feng JJ. Estimating the interfacial permeability for flow into a poroelastic medium. SOFT MATTER 2024. [PMID: 38935026 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00476k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Boundary conditions between a porous solid and a fluid has been a long-standing problem in modeling porous media. For deformable poroelastic materials such as hydrogels, the question is further complicated by the elastic stress from the solid network. Recently, an interfacial permeability condition has been developed from the principle of positive energy dissipation on the hydrogel-fluid interface. Although this boundary condition has been used in flow computations and yielded reasonable predictions, it contains an interfacial permeability η as a phenomenological parameter. In this work, we use pore-scale models of flow into a periodic array of solid cylinders or parallel holes to determine η as a function of the pore size and porosity. This provides a means to evaluate the interfacial permeability for a wide range of poroelastic materials, including hydrogels, foams and biological tissues, to enable realistic flow simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zelai Xu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Pengtao Yue
- Department of Mathematics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - James J Feng
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada
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3
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Ma W, Li Y, Liu P, Liu Z, Song T. Progress of Research into Preformed Particle Gels for Profile Control and Water Shutoff Techniques. Gels 2024; 10:372. [PMID: 38920919 PMCID: PMC11202449 DOI: 10.3390/gels10060372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Gel treatment is an economical and efficient method of controlling excessive water production. The gelation of in situ gels is prone to being affected by the dilution of formation water, chromatographic during the transportation process, and thus controlling the gelation time and penetration depth is a challenging task. Therefore, a novel gel system termed preformed particle gels (PPGs) has been developed to overcome the drawbacks of in situ gels. PPGs are superabsorbent polymer gels which can swell but not dissolve in brines. Typically, PPGs are a granular gels formed based on the crosslinking of polyacrylamide, characterized by controllable particle size and strength. This work summarizes the application scenarios of PPGs and elucidates their plugging mechanisms. Additionally, several newly developed PPG systems such as high-temperature-resistant PPGs, re-crosslinkable PPGs, and delayed-swelling PPGs are also covered. This research indicates that PPGs can selectively block the formation of fractures or high-permeability channels. The performance of the novel modified PPGs was superior to in situ gels in harsh environments. Lastly, we outlined recommended improvements for the novel PPGs and suggested future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Ma
- Key Laboratory of Oilfield Chemistry of China National Petroleum Corporation, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China; (W.M.)
- College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
- National Elite Institute of Engineering, Beijing 100096, China
| | - Yikun Li
- Key Laboratory of Oilfield Chemistry of China National Petroleum Corporation, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China; (W.M.)
| | - Pingde Liu
- Key Laboratory of Oilfield Chemistry of China National Petroleum Corporation, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China; (W.M.)
| | - Zhichang Liu
- College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
| | - Tao Song
- Key Laboratory of Oilfield Chemistry of China National Petroleum Corporation, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China; (W.M.)
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4
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Lu X, Wang M. High-Performance Nanogel-in-Oils as Emulsion Evolution Controller for Displacement Enhancement in Porous Media. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:49554-49566. [PMID: 37843042 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c05576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
We designed and synthesized high-performance nanogel-in-oils with intermediate properties between solid particles and liquid droplets for multiphase flow control in porous media. The ultrasmall polymeric nanogels prepared via inverse emulsion polymerization were efficiently encapsulated in micrometer-sized oil droplets with the aid of surfactants during transfer from the oil phase to the aqueous phase. The composite colloidal system exhibited high loading capacity, unimodal size distribution, and long-term kinetic stability in suspension. The colloidal behaviors of nanogel-in-oils and the corresponding interfacial evolution during displacement in porous media were investigated via microfluidic experiments. In situ emulsification was observed with a state contrary to that of static characterizations. The spontaneous and sustainable formation of foam-like water-in-oil macroemulsions originated from aqueous phase breakup and oil film development, both enhanced by nanogel-in-oils. Sweeping efficiency enhancement by invasion events and residual oil transport in macroemulsion phases yielded exceptional displacement performances. Flow field fluctuations and emulsion state variations can be manipulated by adjusting nanogel-in-oil concentrations. The nanogel-in-oil suspension was found to exhibit optimal performance among the tested dispersed systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xukang Lu
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Moran Wang
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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5
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Uddin MM, Vanapalli SA. Microfluidic tapered aspirators for mechanical characterization of microgel beads. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:6641-6651. [PMID: 37401354 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01357f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we report a microfluidic approach for the measurement of mechanical properties of spherical microgel beads. This technique is analogous to tapered micropipette aspiration, while harnessing the benefits of microfluidics. We fabricate alginate-based microbeads and determine their mechanical properties using the microfluidic tapered aspirators. Individual microgel beads are aspirated and trapped in tapered channels, the deformed equilibrium shape is measured, and a stress balance is used to determine the Young's modulus. We investigate the effect of surface coating, taper angle, and bead diameter and find that the measured modulus is largely insensitive to these parameters. We show that the bead modulus increases with alginate concentration and follows a trend similar to that of the modulus measured using standard uniaxial compression. The critical pressure to squeeze out the beads from the tapered aspirators was found to depend on both the modulus and the bead diameter. Finally, we demonstrate how temporal changes in bead moduli due to enzymatic degradation of the hydrogel could be quantitatively determined. The results from this study highlight that the microfluidic tapered aspirators are a useful tool to measure hydrogel bead mechanics and have the potential to characterize dynamic changes in mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mezbah Uddin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
| | - Siva A Vanapalli
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
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Lipreri MV, Di Pompo G, Boanini E, Graziani G, Sassoni E, Baldini N, Avnet S. Bone on-a-chip: a 3D dendritic network in a screening platform for osteocyte-targeted drugs. Biofabrication 2023; 15:045019. [PMID: 37552982 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/acee23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Age-related musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoporosis, are frequent and associated with long lasting morbidity, in turn significantly impacting on healthcare system sustainability. There is therefore a compelling need to develop reliable preclinical models of disease and drug screening to validate novel drugs possibly on a personalized basis, without the need ofin vivoassay. In the context of bone tissue, although the osteocyte (Oc) network is a well-recognized therapeutic target, currentin vitropreclinical models are unable to mimic its physiologically relevant and highly complex structure. To this purpose, several features are needed, including an osteomimetic extracellular matrix, dynamic perfusion, and mechanical cues (e.g. shear stress) combined with a three-dimensional (3D) culture of Oc. Here we describe, for the first time, a high throughput microfluidic platform based on 96-miniaturized chips for large-scale preclinical evaluation to predict drug efficacy. We bioengineered a commercial microfluidic device that allows real-time visualization and equipped with multi-chips by the development and injection of a highly stiff bone-like 3D matrix, made of a blend of collagen-enriched natural hydrogels loaded with hydroxyapatite nanocrystals. The microchannel, filled with the ostemimetic matrix and Oc, is subjected to passive perfusion and shear stress. We used scanning electron microscopy for preliminary material characterization. Confocal microscopy and fluorescent microbeads were used after material injection into the microchannels to detect volume changes and the distribution of cell-sized objects within the hydrogel. The formation of a 3D dendritic network of Oc was monitored by measuring cell viability, evaluating phenotyping markers (connexin43, integrin alpha V/CD51, sclerostin), quantification of dendrites, and responsiveness to an anabolic drug. The platform is expected to accelerate the development of new drug aimed at modulating the survival and function of osteocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gemma Di Pompo
- Biomedical Science, Technologies, and Nanobiotecnologiy Lab, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elisa Boanini
- Department of Chemistry 'Giacomo Ciamician', University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gabriela Graziani
- Biomedical Science, Technologies, and Nanobiotecnologiy Lab, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrico Sassoni
- Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Nicola Baldini
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Biomedical Science, Technologies, and Nanobiotecnologiy Lab, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sofia Avnet
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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7
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Effects of pH and Crosslinking Agent in the Evaluation of Hydrogels as Potential Nitrate-Controlled Release Systems. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15051246. [PMID: 36904488 PMCID: PMC10007039 DOI: 10.3390/polym15051246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Water scarcity and the loss of fertilizer from agricultural soils through runoff, which also leads to contamination of other areas, are increasingly common problems in agriculture. To mitigate nitrate water pollution, the technology of controlled release formulations (CRFs) provides a promising alternative for improving the management of nutrient supply and decreasing environmental pollution while maintaining good quality and high crop yields. This study describes the influence of pH and crosslinking agent, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) or N,N'-methylenebis (acrylamide) (NMBA), on the behavior of polymeric materials in swelling and nitrate release kinetics. The characterization of hydrogels and CRFs was performed by FTIR, SEM, and swelling properties. Kinetic results were adjusted to Fick, Schott, and a novel equation proposed by the authors. Fixed-bed experiments were carried out by using the NMBA systems, coconut fiber, and commercial KNO3. Results showed that on the one hand, no significant differences were observed in nitrate release kinetics for any system in the selected pH range, this fact allowing to apply these hydrogels to any type of soil. On the other hand, nitrate release from SLC-NMBA was found to be a slower and longer process versus commercial potassium nitrate. These features indicate that the NMBA polymeric system could potentially be applied as a controlled release fertilizer suitable for a wide variety of soil typologies.
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8
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Jacobs M, Tian Y, Dobrynin AV. Deformation Driven Deswelling of Brush Gels. Macromolecules 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c02385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Jacobs
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Yuan Tian
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Andrey V. Dobrynin
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
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9
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Lei W, Lu X, Wang M. Multiphase displacement manipulated by micro/nanoparticle suspensions in porous media via microfluidic experiments: From interface science to multiphase flow patterns. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 311:102826. [PMID: 36528919 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2022.102826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Multiphase displacement in porous media can be adjusted by micro/nanoparticle suspensions, which is widespread in many scientific and industrial contexts. Direct visualization of suspension flow dynamics and corresponding multiphase patterns is crucial to understanding displacement mechanisms and eventually optimizing these processes in geological, biological, chemical, and other engineering systems. However, suspension flow inside the opaque realistic porous media makes direct observation challenging. The advances in microfluidic experiments have provided us with alternative methods to observe suspension influence on the interface and multiphase flow behaviors at high temporal and spatial resolutions. Macroscale processes are controlled by microscale interfacial behaviors, which are affected by multiple physical factors, such as particle adsorption, capillarity, and hydrodynamics. These properties exerted on the suspension flow in porous media may lead to interesting interfacial phenomena and new displacement consequences. As an underpinning science, understanding and controlling the suspension transport process from interface to flow patterns in porous media is critical for a lower operating cost to improve resource production while reducing harmful emissions and other environmental impacts. This review summarizes the basic properties of different micro/nanoparticle suspensions and the state-of-the-art microfluidic techniques for displacement research activities in porous media. Various suspension transport behaviors and displacement mechanisms explored by microfluidic experiments are comprehensively reviewed. This review is expected to boost both experimental and theoretical understanding of suspension transport and interfacial interaction processes in porous media. It also brings forward the challenges and opportunities for future research in controlling complex fluid flow in porous media for diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhai Lei
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xukang Lu
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Moran Wang
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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10
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Xu Y, Zhu H, Denduluri A, Ou Y, Erkamp NA, Qi R, Shen Y, Knowles TPJ. Recent Advances in Microgels: From Biomolecules to Functionality. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2200180. [PMID: 35790106 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202200180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The emerging applications of hydrogel materials at different length scales, in areas ranging from sustainability to health, have driven the progress in the design and manufacturing of microgels. Microgels can provide miniaturized, monodisperse, and regulatable compartments, which can be spatially separated or interconnected. These microscopic materials provide novel opportunities for generating biomimetic cell culture environments and are thus key to the advances of modern biomedical research. The evolution of the physical and chemical properties has, furthermore, highlighted the potentials of microgels in the context of materials science and bioengineering. This review describes the recent research progress in the fabrication, characterization, and applications of microgels generated from biomolecular building blocks. A key enabling technology allowing the tailoring of the properties of microgels is their synthesis through microfluidic technologies, and this paper highlights recent advances in these areas and their impact on expanding the physicochemical parameter space accessible using microgels. This review finally discusses the emerging roles that microgels play in liquid-liquid phase separation, micromechanics, biosensors, and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufan Xu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Hongjia Zhu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Akhila Denduluri
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Yangteng Ou
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Nadia A Erkamp
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Runzhang Qi
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Yi Shen
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- The University of Sydney Nano Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
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11
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Li Y, Li Y, Prince E, Weitz JI, Panyukov S, Ramachandran A, Rubinstein M, Kumacheva E. Fibrous hydrogels under biaxial confinement. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3264. [PMID: 35672320 PMCID: PMC9174476 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30980-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Confinement of fibrous hydrogels in narrow capillaries is of great importance in biological and biomedical systems. Stretching and uniaxial compression of fibrous hydrogels have been extensively studied; however, their response to biaxial confinement in capillaries remains unexplored. Here, we show experimentally and theoretically that due to the asymmetry in the mechanical properties of the constituent filaments that are soft upon compression and stiff upon extension, filamentous gels respond to confinement in a qualitatively different manner than flexible-strand gels. Under strong confinement, fibrous gels exhibit a weak elongation and an asymptotic decrease to zero of their biaxial Poisson’s ratio, which results in strong gel densification and a weak flux of liquid through the gel. These results shed light on the resistance of strained occlusive clots to lysis with therapeutic agents and stimulate the development of effective endovascular plugs from gels with fibrous structures for stopping vascular bleeding or suppressing blood supply to tumors. Studies of the confinement of filamentous hydrogels such as fibrin, a major component of blood clots, can shed light on the resistance of strained occlusive clots to lysis with therapeutic agents. Here, the authors show the mechanism of the response of fibrous hydrogels to confinement.
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12
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Büning D, Ennen-Roth F, Netke T, Schumacher J, Ulbricht M. Microfiltration of polymeric microgels as soft model colloids through sterile filter membranes. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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13
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Ding M, Li L. Flow-Induced Translocation and Conformational Transition of Polymer Chains through Nanochannels: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Ding
- School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lianwei Li
- Food Science and Processing Research Center, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
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14
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Büning D, Schumacher J, Helling A, Chakroun R, Ennen-Roth F, Gröschel AH, Thom V, Ulbricht M. Soft synthetic microgels as mimics of mycoplasma. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:6445-6460. [PMID: 34132722 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00379h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Artificial model colloids are of special interest in the development of advanced sterile filters, as they are able to efficiently separate pleomorphic, highly deformable and infectious bacteria such as mycoplasma, which, until now, has been considered rather challenging and laborious. This study presents a full range of different soft to super soft synthetic polymeric microgels, including two types with similar hydrodynamic mean diameter, i.e., 180 nm, and zeta potential, i.e., -25 ± 10 mV, but different deformability, synthesized by inverse miniemulsion terpolymerization of acrylamide, sodium acrylate and N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide. These microgels were characterized by means of dynamic, electrophoretic and static light scattering techniques. In addition, the deformability of the colloids was investigated by filter cake compressibility studies during ultrafiltration in dead-end mode, analogously to a study of real mycoplasma, i.e., Acholeplasma laidlawii, to allow for a direct comparison. The results indicate that the variation of the synthesis parameters, i.e., crosslinker content, polymeric solid content and content of sodium acrylate, has a significant impact on the swelling behavior of the microgels in aqueous solution as well as on their deformability under filtration conditions. A higher density of chemical crosslinking points results in less swollen and more rigid microgels. Furthermore, these parameters determine electrokinetic properties of the more or less permeable colloids. Overall, it is shown that these soft synthetic microgels can be obtained with tailor-made properties, covering the size of smallest species of and otherwise similar to real mycoplasma. This is a relevant first step towards the future use of synthetic microgels as mimics for mycoplasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Büning
- Lehrstuhl für Technische Chemie II, Universität Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany.
| | - Jens Schumacher
- Lehrstuhl für Technische Chemie II, Universität Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany.
| | - Alexander Helling
- Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH, August-Spindler-Straße 11, 37079 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ramzi Chakroun
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstr. 28-30, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Franka Ennen-Roth
- Lehrstuhl für Technische Chemie II, Universität Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany.
| | - Andre H Gröschel
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstr. 28-30, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Volkmar Thom
- Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH, August-Spindler-Straße 11, 37079 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mathias Ulbricht
- Lehrstuhl für Technische Chemie II, Universität Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany.
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15
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Oevreeide IH, Szydlak R, Luty M, Ahmed H, Prot V, Skallerud BH, Zemła J, Lekka M, Stokke BT. On the Determination of Mechanical Properties of Aqueous Microgels-Towards High-Throughput Characterization. Gels 2021; 7:64. [PMID: 34072792 PMCID: PMC8261632 DOI: 10.3390/gels7020064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aqueous microgels are distinct entities of soft matter with mechanical signatures that can be different from their macroscopic counterparts due to confinement effects in the preparation, inherently made to consist of more than one domain (Janus particles) or further processing by coating and change in the extent of crosslinking of the core. Motivated by the importance of the mechanical properties of such microgels from a fundamental point, but also related to numerous applications, we provide a perspective on the experimental strategies currently available and emerging tools being explored. Albeit all techniques in principle exploit enforcing stress and observing strain, the realization differs from directly, as, e.g., by atomic force microscope, to less evident in a fluid field combined with imaging by a high-speed camera in high-throughput strategies. Moreover, the accompanying analysis strategies also reflect such differences, and the level of detail that would be preferred for a comprehensive understanding of the microgel mechanical properties are not always implemented. Overall, the perspective is that current technologies have the capacity to provide detailed, nanoscopic mechanical characterization of microgels over an extended size range, to the high-throughput approaches providing distributions over the mechanical signatures, a feature not readily accessible by atomic force microscopy and micropipette aspiration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Haga Oevreeide
- Biophysics and Medical Technology, Department of Physics, NTNU The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway; (I.H.O.); (H.A.)
| | - Renata Szydlak
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342 Krakow, Poland; (R.S.); (M.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Marcin Luty
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342 Krakow, Poland; (R.S.); (M.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Husnain Ahmed
- Biophysics and Medical Technology, Department of Physics, NTNU The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway; (I.H.O.); (H.A.)
| | - Victorien Prot
- Biomechanics, Department of Structural Engineering, NTNU The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway; (V.P.); (B.H.S.)
| | - Bjørn Helge Skallerud
- Biomechanics, Department of Structural Engineering, NTNU The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway; (V.P.); (B.H.S.)
| | - Joanna Zemła
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342 Krakow, Poland; (R.S.); (M.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Małgorzata Lekka
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342 Krakow, Poland; (R.S.); (M.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Bjørn Torger Stokke
- Biophysics and Medical Technology, Department of Physics, NTNU The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway; (I.H.O.); (H.A.)
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16
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Danielsen SPO, Beech HK, Wang S, El-Zaatari BM, Wang X, Sapir L, Ouchi T, Wang Z, Johnson PN, Hu Y, Lundberg DJ, Stoychev G, Craig SL, Johnson JA, Kalow JA, Olsen BD, Rubinstein M. Molecular Characterization of Polymer Networks. Chem Rev 2021; 121:5042-5092. [PMID: 33792299 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Polymer networks are complex systems consisting of molecular components. Whereas the properties of the individual components are typically well understood by most chemists, translating that chemical insight into polymer networks themselves is limited by the statistical and poorly defined nature of network structures. As a result, it is challenging, if not currently impossible, to extrapolate from the molecular behavior of components to the full range of performance and properties of the entire polymer network. Polymer networks therefore present an unrealized, important, and interdisciplinary opportunity to exert molecular-level, chemical control on material macroscopic properties. A barrier to sophisticated molecular approaches to polymer networks is that the techniques for characterizing the molecular structure of networks are often unfamiliar to many scientists. Here, we present a critical overview of the current characterization techniques available to understand the relation between the molecular properties and the resulting performance and behavior of polymer networks, in the absence of added fillers. We highlight the methods available to characterize the chemistry and molecular-level properties of individual polymer strands and junctions, the gelation process by which strands form networks, the structure of the resulting network, and the dynamics and mechanics of the final material. The purpose is not to serve as a detailed manual for conducting these measurements but rather to unify the underlying principles, point out remaining challenges, and provide a concise overview by which chemists can plan characterization strategies that suit their research objectives. Because polymer networks cannot often be sufficiently characterized with a single method, strategic combinations of multiple techniques are typically required for their molecular characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott P O Danielsen
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Haley K Beech
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Shu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Bassil M El-Zaatari
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Xiaodi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | | | | | - Zi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Patricia N Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Yixin Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - David J Lundberg
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Georgi Stoychev
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Stephen L Craig
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Jeremiah A Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Julia A Kalow
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Bradley D Olsen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Michael Rubinstein
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States.,Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States.,World Primer Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido University, Kita 21 Nishi 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021, Japan
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17
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Louf JF, Lu NB, O'Connell MG, Cho HJ, Datta SS. Under pressure: Hydrogel swelling in a granular medium. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/7/eabd2711. [PMID: 33579709 PMCID: PMC7880600 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd2711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogels hold promise in agriculture as reservoirs of water in dry soil, potentially alleviating the burden of irrigation. However, confinement in soil can markedly reduce the ability of hydrogels to absorb water and swell, limiting their widespread adoption. Unfortunately, the underlying reason remains unknown. By directly visualizing the swelling of hydrogels confined in three-dimensional granular media, we demonstrate that the extent of hydrogel swelling is determined by the competition between the force exerted by the hydrogel due to osmotic swelling and the confining force transmitted by the surrounding grains. Furthermore, the medium can itself be restructured by hydrogel swelling, as set by the balance between the osmotic swelling force, the confining force, and intergrain friction. Together, our results provide quantitative principles to predict how hydrogels behave in confinement, potentially improving their use in agriculture as well as informing other applications such as oil recovery, construction, mechanobiology, and filtration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-François Louf
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Nancy B Lu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Margaret G O'Connell
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - H Jeremy Cho
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Sujit S Datta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
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18
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Park Y, Fai TG. Dynamics of Vesicles Driven Into Closed Constrictions by Molecular Motors. Bull Math Biol 2020; 82:141. [PMID: 33095297 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-020-00820-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
We study the dynamics of a model of membrane vesicle transport into dendritic spines, which are bulbous intracellular compartments in neurons driven by molecular motors. We reduce the lubrication model proposed in Fai et al. (Phys Rev Fluids 2:113601, 2017) to a fast-slow system, yielding an analytically and numerically tractable equation equivalent to the original model in the overdamped limit. The model's key parameters include: (1) the ratio of motors that prefer to push toward the head of the dendritic spine to the motors that prefer to push in the opposite direction, and (2) the viscous drag exerted on the vesicle by the spine constriction. We perform a numerical bifurcation analysis in these parameters and find that steady-state vesicle velocities appear and disappear through several saddle-node bifurcations. This process allows us to identify the region of parameter space in which multiple stable velocities exist. We show by direct calculations that there can only be unidirectional motion for sufficiently close vesicle-to-spine diameter ratios. Our analysis predicts the critical vesicle-to-spine diameter ratio, at which there is a transition from unidirectional to bidirectional motion, consistent with experimental observations of vesicle trajectories in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngmin Park
- Department of Mathematics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA.
| | - Thomas G Fai
- Department of Mathematics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA.,Department of Mathematics and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
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19
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Keith AN, Vatankhah-Varnosfaderani M, Clair C, Fahimipour F, Dashtimoghadam E, Lallam A, Sztucki M, Ivanov DA, Liang H, Dobrynin AV, Sheiko SS. Bottlebrush Bridge between Soft Gels and Firm Tissues. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2020; 6:413-419. [PMID: 32232141 PMCID: PMC7099586 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.9b01216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Softness and firmness are seemingly incompatible traits that synergize to create the unique soft-yet-firm tactility of living tissues pursued in soft robotics, wearable electronics, and plastic surgery. This dichotomy is particularly pronounced in tissues such as fat that are known to be both ultrasoft and ultrafirm. However, synthetically replicating this mechanical response remains elusive since ubiquitously employed soft gels are unable to concurrently reproduce tissue firmness. We have addressed the tissue challenge through the self-assembly of linear-bottlebrush-linear (LBL) block copolymers into thermoplastic elastomers. This hybrid molecular architecture delivers a hierarchical network organization with a cascade of deformation mechanisms responsible for initially low moduli followed by intense strain-stiffening. By bridging the firmness gap between gels and tissues, we have replicated the mechanics of fat, fetal membrane, spinal cord, and brain tissues. These solvent-free, nonleachable, and tissue-mimetic elastomers also show enhanced biocompatibility as demonstrated by cell proliferation studies, all of which are vital for the safety and longevity of future biomedical devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N Keith
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States
| | | | - Charles Clair
- Laboratoire de Physique et Mécanique Textiles, Université de Haute Alsace, 11 rue Alfred Werner, F-68093 Mulhouse Cedex, France
| | - Farahnaz Fahimipour
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States
| | - Erfan Dashtimoghadam
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States
| | - Abdelaziz Lallam
- Laboratoire de Physique et Mécanique Textiles, Université de Haute Alsace, 11 rue Alfred Werner, F-68093 Mulhouse Cedex, France
| | - Michael Sztucki
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, F-38043 Grenoble, France
| | - Dimitri A Ivanov
- Institut de Sciences des Matériaux de Mulhouse-IS2M, CNRS UMR 7361, 15, rue Jean Starcky, F-68057 Mulhouse, France
- Faculty of Fundamental Physical and Chemical Engineering, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1/51, 119991, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, Moscow Region, 142432, Russian Federation
| | - Heyi Liang
- Department of Polymer Science, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325-3909, United States
| | - Andrey V Dobrynin
- Department of Polymer Science, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325-3909, United States
| | - Sergei S Sheiko
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States
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20
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Qavi S, Bandegi A, Firestone M, Foudazi R. Polymerization in soft nanoconfinement of lamellar and reverse hexagonal mesophases. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:8238-8250. [PMID: 31576891 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm01565e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This work describes the kinetics of thermal polymerization in nanoconfined domains of lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) templates by using chemorheological studies at different temperatures. We investigate lamellar and reverse hexagonal LLC phases with the same concentration of the monomeric phase. Results show that the mesophase structures remain intact during thermal polymerization with very slight changes in the domain size. The polymerization rate decreases in the nanoconfined structure compared to the bulk state due to the segregation effect, which increases the local monomer concentration and enhances the termination rate. Additionally, the polymerization rate is faster in the studied reverse hexagonal systems compared to the lamellar ones due to their lower degree of confinement. A higher degree of confinement also induces a lower monomer conversion. Differential scanning calorimetry confirms the obtained results from chemorheology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Qavi
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA.
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21
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Conformational changes influence clogging behavior of micrometer-sized microgels in idealized multiple constrictions. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9241. [PMID: 31239490 PMCID: PMC6592940 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45791-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Clogging of porous media by soft particles has become a subject of extensive research in the last years and the understanding of the clogging mechanisms is of great importance for process optimization. The rise in the utilization of microfluidic devices brought the possibility to simulate membrane filtration and perform in situ observations of the pore clogging mechanisms with the aid of high speed cameras. In this work, we use microfluidic devices composed by an array of parallel channels to observe the clogging behavior of micrometer sized microgels. It is important to note that the microgels are larger than the pores/constrictions. We quantify the clog propensity in relation to the clogging position and particle size and find that the majority of the microgels clog at the first constriction independently of particle size and constriction entrance angle. We also quantify the variations in shape and volume (2D projection) of the microgels in relation to particle size and constriction entrance angle. We find that the degree of deformation increases with particle size and is dependent of constriction entrance angle, whereas, changes in volume do not depend on entrance angle.
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22
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Bouhid de Aguiar I, Meireles M, Bouchoux A, Schroën K. Microfluidic model systems used to emulate processes occurring during soft particle filtration. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3063. [PMID: 30816260 PMCID: PMC6395687 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39820-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Cake layer formation in membrane processes is an inevitable phenomenon. For hard particles, especially cake porosity and thickness determine the membrane flux, but when the particles forming the cake are soft, the variables one has to take into account in the prediction of cake behavior increase considerably. In this work we investigate the behavior of soft polyacrylamide microgels in microfluidic model membranes through optical microscopy for in situ observation both under regular flow and under enhanced gravity conditions. Particles larger than the pore are able to pass through deformation and deswelling. We find that membrane clogging time and cake formation is not dependent on the applied pressure but rather on particle and membrane pore properties. Furthermore, we found that particle deposits subjected to low pressures and low g forces deform in a totally reversible fashion. Particle deposits subjected to higher pressures only deform reversibly if they can re-swell due to capillary forces, otherwise irreversible compression is observed. For membrane processes this implies that when using deformable particles, the pore size is not a good indicator for membrane performance, and cake formation can have much more severe consequences compared to hard particles due to the sometimes-irreversible nature of soft particle compression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabella Bouhid de Aguiar
- Laboratory of Food Process Engineering, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Laboratoire de Génie Chimique, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Martine Meireles
- Laboratoire de Génie Chimique, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Antoine Bouchoux
- Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Biologiques et des Procédés, CNRS, INRA, INSAT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Karin Schroën
- Laboratory of Food Process Engineering, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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23
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Lei W, Xie C, Wu T, Wu X, Wang M. Transport mechanism of deformable micro-gel particle through micropores with mechanical properties characterized by AFM. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1453. [PMID: 30723227 PMCID: PMC6363738 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37270-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Deformable micro-gel particles (DMP) have been used to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in reservoirs with unfavourable conditions. Direct pore-scale understanding of the DMP transport mechanism is important for further improvements of its EOR performance. To consider the interaction between soft particle and fluid in complex pore-throat geometries, we perform an Immersed Boundary-Lattice Boltzmann (IB-LB) simulation of DMP passing through a throat. A spring-network model is used to capture the deformation of DMP. In order to obtain appropriate simulation parameters that represent the real mechanical properties of DMP, we propose a procedure via fitting the DMP elastic modulus data measured by the nano-indentation experiments using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The pore-scale modelling obtains the critical pressure of the DMP for different particle-throat diameter ratios and elastic modulus. It is found that two-clog particle transport mode is observed in a contracted throat, the relationship between the critical pressure and the elastic modulus/particle-throat diameter ratio follows a power law. The particle-throat diameter ratio shows a greater impact on the critical pressure difference than the elastic modulus of particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhai Lei
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Chiyu Xie
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 78712, USA
| | - Tianjiang Wu
- Changqing Oilfield, PetroChina, Xi'an, 710018, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xingcai Wu
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development of PetroChina, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Moran Wang
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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24
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Portnov IV, Möller M, Richtering W, Potemkin II. Microgel in a Pore: Intraparticle Segregation or Snail-like Behavior Caused by Collapse and Swelling. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b01569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan V. Portnov
- Physics Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
- DWI − Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Aachen 52056, Germany
| | - Martin Möller
- DWI − Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Aachen 52056, Germany
| | - Walter Richtering
- DWI − Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Aachen 52056, Germany
| | - Igor I. Potemkin
- Physics Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
- DWI − Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Aachen 52056, Germany
- National Research
South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russian Federation
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25
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Bakker MH, van Rooij E, Dankers PYW. Controlled Release of RNAi Molecules by Tunable Supramolecular Hydrogel Carriers. Chem Asian J 2018; 13:3501-3508. [PMID: 29858562 DOI: 10.1002/asia.201800582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Local, sustained release and presentation of RNAi therapeutics can be achieved with hydrogel delivery systems. Here we show the development of a supramolecular hydrogel into a local RNAi delivery system. By careful material design, two simple but effective strategies are introduced to obtain controlled release of two classes of RNAi therapeutics, that is, microRNA and antimiR. It was shown that the release of microRNA could be regulated using cholesterol-modification for interaction with the supramolecular hydrogel. Non-modified antimiR release could be controlled via supramolecular introduction of positively charged additive molecules into the supramolecular hydrogel. In this way, either the cholesterol-modification on the drug or the charge introduction into the hydrogel provides handles for controlled RNAi therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten H Bakker
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Eva van Rooij
- Hubrecht Institute, KNAW, and University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Patricia Y W Dankers
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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26
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Vatankhah-Varnosfaderani M, Keith AN, Cong Y, Liang H, Rosenthal M, Sztucki M, Clair C, Magonov S, Ivanov DA, Dobrynin AV, Sheiko SS. Chameleon-like elastomers with molecularly encoded strain-adaptive stiffening and coloration. Science 2018; 359:1509-1513. [PMID: 29599240 DOI: 10.1126/science.aar5308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 224] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Active camouflage is widely recognized as a soft-tissue feature, and yet the ability to integrate adaptive coloration and tissuelike mechanical properties into synthetic materials remains elusive. We provide a solution to this problem by uniting these functions in moldable elastomers through the self-assembly of linear-bottlebrush-linear triblock copolymers. Microphase separation of the architecturally distinct blocks results in physically cross-linked networks that display vibrant color, extreme softness, and intense strain stiffening on par with that of skin tissue. Each of these functional properties is regulated by the structure of one macromolecule, without the need for chemical cross-linking or additives. These materials remain stable under conditions characteristic of internal bodily environments and under ambient conditions, neither swelling in bodily fluids nor drying when exposed to air.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew N Keith
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yidan Cong
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Heyi Liang
- Department of Polymer Science, University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325-3909, USA
| | - Martin Rosenthal
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, F-38043 Grenoble, France
| | - Michael Sztucki
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, F-38043 Grenoble, France
| | - Charles Clair
- Université de Haute Alsace, Laboratoire de Physique et Mécanique Textiles, F-68093 Mulhouse Cedex, France
| | - Sergei Magonov
- Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) Labs, Tempe, AZ 85283, USA
| | - Dimitri A Ivanov
- Institut de Sciences des Matériaux de Mulhouse-IS2M, CNRS UMR 7361, F-68057 Mulhouse, France.,Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Fundamental Physical and Chemical Engineering, Leninskie Gory 1/51, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Andrey V Dobrynin
- Department of Polymer Science, University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325-3909, USA.
| | - Sergei S Sheiko
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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27
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do Nascimento DF, Avendaño JA, Mehl A, Moura MJB, Carvalho MS, Duncanson WJ. Flow of Tunable Elastic Microcapsules through Constrictions. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11898. [PMID: 28928386 PMCID: PMC5605504 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11950-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We design and fabricate elastically tunable monodisperse microcapsules using microfluidics and cross-linkable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The overall stiffness of the microcapsules is governed by both the thickness and cross-link ratio of the polymer shell. Flowing suspensions of microcapsules through constricted spaces leads to transient blockage of fluid flow, thus altering the flow behavior. The ability to tune microcapsule mechanical properties enables the design of elastic microcapsules that can be tailored for desired flow behavior in a broad range of applications such as oil recovery, reactor feeding, red blood cell flow and chemical targeted delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora F do Nascimento
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jorge A Avendaño
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ana Mehl
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria J B Moura
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcio S Carvalho
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Wynter J Duncanson
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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28
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Li Y, Pan C, Li Y, Kumacheva E, Ramachandran A. An exploration of the reflow technique for the fabrication of an in vitro microvascular system to study occlusive clots. Biomed Microdevices 2017; 19:82. [PMID: 28887730 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-017-0213-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Embolic ischemia and pulmonary embolism are health emergencies that arise when a particle such as a blood clot occludes a smaller blood vessel in the brain or the lungs, and restricts flow of blood downstream of the vessel. In this work, the reflow technique (Wang et al. Biomed. Microdevices 2007, 9, 657) was adapted to produce a microchannel network that mimics the occlusion process. The technique was first revisited and a simple geometrical model was developed to quantitatively explain the shapes of the resulting microchannels for different reflow parameters. A critical modification was introduced to the reflow protocol to fabricate nearly circular microchannels of different diameters from the same master, which is not possible with the traditional reflow technique. To simulate the phenomenon of occlusion by clots, a microchannel network with three generations of branches with different diameters and branching angles was fabricated, into which fibrin clots were introduced. At low constant pressure drop (ΔP), a clot blocked a branch entrance only partially, while at higher ΔP, the branch was completely blocked. Instances of simultaneous blocking of multiple channels by clots, and the consequent changes in the flow rates in the unblocked branches of the network, were also monitored. This work provides the framework for a systematic study of the distribution of clots in a network, and the rate of dissolution of embolic clots upon the introduction of a thrombolytic drug into the network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Chuer Pan
- Division of Engineering Science, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yunfeng Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Eugenia Kumacheva
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Arun Ramachandran
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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29
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Khan ZS, Kamyabi N, Hussain F, Vanapalli SA. Passage times and friction due to flow of confined cancer cells, drops, and deformable particles in a microfluidic channel. CONVERGENT SCIENCE PHYSICAL ONCOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1088/2057-1739/aa5f60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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30
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Abstract
The transport of suspensions of microparticles in confined environments is associated with complex phenomena at the interface of fluid mechanics and soft matter. Indeed, the deposition and assembly of particles under flow involve hydrodynamic, steric and colloidal forces, and can lead to the clogging of microchannels. The formation of clogs dramatically alters the performance of both natural and engineered systems, effectively limiting the use of microfluidic technology. While the fouling of porous filters has been studied at the macroscopic level, it is only recently that the formation of clogs has been considered at the pore-scale, using microfluidic devices. In this review, we present the clogging mechanisms recently reported for suspension flows of colloidal particles and for biofluids in microfluidic channels, including sieving, bridging and aggregation of particles. We discuss the technological implications of the clogging of microchannels and the schemes that leverage the formation of clogs. We finally consider some of the outstanding challenges involving clogging in human health, which could be tackled with microfluidic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Dressaire
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA.
| | - Alban Sauret
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA. and Surface du Verre et Interfaces, UMR 125 CNRS/Saint-Gobain, 93303 Aubervilliers, France
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31
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Song JE, Cho EC. Dual-responsive and Multi-functional Plasmonic Hydrogel Valves and Biomimetic Architectures Formed with Hydrogel and Gold Nanocolloids. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34622. [PMID: 27703195 PMCID: PMC5050413 DOI: 10.1038/srep34622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a straightforward approach with high moldability for producing dual-responsive and multi-functional plasmonic hydrogel valves and biomimetic architectures that reversibly change volumes and colors in response to temperature and ion variations. Heating of a mixture of hybrid colloids (gold nanoparticles assembled on a hydrogel colloid) and hydrogel colloids rapidly induces (within 30 min) the formation of hydrogel architectures resembling mold shapes (cylinder, fish, butterfly). The biomimetic fish and butterfly display reversible changes in volumes and colors with variations of temperature and ionic conditions in aqueous solutions. The cylindrical plasmonic valves installed in flow tubes rapidly control water flow rate in on-off manner by responding to these stimuli. They also report these changes in terms of their colors. Therefore, the approach presented here might be helpful in developing new class of biomimetic and flow control systems where liquid conditions should be visually notified (e.g., glucose or ion concentration changes).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Eun Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, South Korea
| | - Eun Chul Cho
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, South Korea
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