Shear Induced Fluidization of a Heterogeneous Vitrimeric Hydrogel

In cell-based tissue engineering, developing artificial scaffolds with tailored structural and mechanical properties is crucial. We have recently demonstrated a new concept of injectable hydrogel that exhibits solid-like behavior at rest and undergoes reversible shear-induced fluidization under mechanical load. This unique material is obtained combining the chemistry of covalent dynamic bonds with microscopic phase separation.
To elucidate the role of microscopic organization in shear-induced fluidization and self-healing, we will investigate polymeric systems with minor chemical variations that shift the system from homogeneous to phase-separated and from dynamic to permanent cross-links.
We propose to characterize these systems using rheo-SAXS oscillatory experiments, probing fluidization in the nonlinear regime and the recovery of solid-like properties in the linear regime, as supported by preliminary rheological data (see proposal).