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Gels are materials composed of a three-dimensional crosslinked polymer or colloidal network immersed in a fluid. They are usually soft and weak, but can be made hard and tough. Hydrogels are gels that have water as their main constituent.
Fibrous networks constructed from high aspect ratio protein building blocks are ubiquitous in nature, but the functional advantage of such building blocks over globular proteins is not understood. Here, using shear rheology and small-angle neutron scattering, the authors characterise the mechanical and structural properties of photochemically crosslinked protein L and fibrin networks and show that aspect ratio is a crucial property that defines network architecture and mechanics.
In this work, the authors present an ice-templating strategy to produce large-scale isotropic nanofiber aerogels using a unique process of freezing the material on a rotating cryogenic drum surface, crushing it, and then re-casting the nanofiber slurry enabling high-throughput and design flexibility.
Achieving rapid, robust, and universal hydrogel adhesion poses challenges for nanoparticle-based glues. Here, the authors present nanohesives that can adhere to diverse surfaces without pre-treatment based on hydrogel mechanics design and interface chemistry modification.
The slightest deformation in the colloidal gels made by smooth particles causes them to transition from a solid to a liquid state. The authors develop a surface grafting technique using click-like chemistry to functionalize particles and show that the rough particle gel is much tougher.
Emily Draper explains how to design and build electrochemical equipment for neutron scattering experiments with simple, at-hand components and techniques.
Amorphous gel structures are present in our everyday lives in the form of food, cosmetics, and biological systems. Experiments now show that their formation cannot be explained within the framework of equilibrium physics.
A bicontinuous conducting polymer hydrogel with high electrical conductivity, stretchability and fracture toughness in physiological environments achieves high-fidelity monitoring and effective stimulation of tissues and organs.
