Creation of Novel High-Strength Gels by Free Control of Orientation and Their Applications in Biological Fields

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21923
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 18:Mechanics of materials, production engineering, design engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: Akita Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: Jianhui Qiu 秋田県立大学, システム科学技術学部, 教授 (40244511)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 伊藤 一志 秋田県立大学, システム科学技術学部, 准教授 (30507116) ; 境 英一 秋田県立大学, システム科学技術学部, 准教授 (70581289)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ハイドロゲル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, anisotropic hydrogels were fabricated by drawing, and their performance was evaluated. The results of mechanical properties showed that the difference in tensile strength increased as the shape-fixing temperature increased. The maximum value of tensile strength was obtained at 75°C, and it was found to decrease significantly after 105°C. The results of morphologies showed that the hydrogels were formed at a higher temperature than the shape-fixed hydrogels. The results of the internal structure showed that the pores of the gel contracted as the shape-fixing temperature increased and that the pores were deformed by stretching in the direction perpendicular to the stretching direction. The obtained results indicate that 75°C is the temperature at which the most anisotropic properties can be obtained in this experiment.

Free Research Field

複合材料工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでのゲルは、基本的に等方性網目構造が形成され、異方性を持たせることができない。本研究で作製された新奇なゲルは、①ゲルの設計方針や作製プロセスが画期的に転換でき、②ゲルの内部構造を自由に制御できる機能性ゲルの創製が可能になり、生体材料やバイオセンサの学術分野の発展が期待でき、③異方性を活かした新たな学術分野の創出や配向性、力学特性および機能性の組合せにより、様々な特性を賦与させることができ、これまでのソフトマターの学術研究分野に画期的な変革をもたらすことが予想される。