Journal of Applied Mechanical Engineering

Tailoring hydro-gel surface properties to create self-replenishing lubrication using Zwitter-ionic stimuliresponsive polymers

4^th International Conference and Exhibition on Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

October 03-04, 2016 Orlando, USA

Michelle M Blum

Syracuse University, USA

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Appl Mech Eng

Abstract:

The recent National Academy of Engineering grand challenge, Engineering Better Medicines, stresses �??synthetic biology,�?� encouraging the making of novel biomaterials to replace or repair damaged body tissue. One material that is being investigated is hydrogels, a class of synthetic biphasic insoluble polymers. Hydrogels function in a variety of medical applications including artificial implants and tissue engineering scaffolds. However, one key limitation to their performance is that surface properties are inferior to natural biological surfaces. This leads gels to wear, fail, and damage natural contacting tissue. For hydrogels to be a viable tissue implant, it is vital that they have limited degradation and restore natural joint mechanics. Our long term goal is to provide a solution for hydrogel failure due to surface wear. The focus of the present presentation is to discuss first steps that have been taken in the design of a biocompatible hydrogel material with exhibits low-friction and wear properties through a stimuli-responsive boundary lubrication system that responds to mechanical wear and to study the structure-property relationships of the material via experimental and computational methods.

Biography :

Email: mmblum@syr.edu