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A mechano-diffusion characterization platform for probing strain-programmable nanoparticle diffusion in hydrogels

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Abstract

Nanoparticle diffusion is a fundamental process that ubiquitously exists in life science and engineering technology. Recent studies demonstrate the potential of harnessing mechanical deformation to program nanoparticle diffusion in hydrogels, offering an expanded spectrum of nanoparticle diffusivities with precise and on-demand control. Here, we develop a mechano-diffusion characterization platform (MDCP) that integrates a mechanical system to apply controlled tension and torsion loads to deformable mediums, and an imaging system to capture spatiotemporal diffusion profiles of nanoparticles. Employing the MDCP, we study the impact of mechanical deformation on nanoparticle diffusion in hydrogels subjected to controlled stress states and loading rates.

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Data availability

Data will be made available on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Alicia Withrow for help with transmission electron microscopy imaging and Wei Zhang and Romilly Benedict for help with the dynamic light scattering characterization.

Funding

This research was funded by NSF-CBET-2320716.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Chuwei Ye & Shaoting Lin

Authors
  1. Chuwei Ye
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  2. Shaoting Lin
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Contributions

CY: Methodology, Data acquisition, Writing-original draft. SL: Conceptualization, Supervision, Writing-review and editing.

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Correspondence to Shaoting Lin.

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Ye, C., Lin, S. A mechano-diffusion characterization platform for probing strain-programmable nanoparticle diffusion in hydrogels. MRS Communications (2024). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43579-024-00596-7

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