A three-dimensional mechano-electrochemical material model of mechanosensing hydrogels
Mechanotransduction is the initiation of an electrochemical signal as a result of mechanical stimuli. It is found predominately in biological tissue and its mechanisms are well documented. In the gel like tissues of the body, such as articular cartilage and intervertebral discs, mechanotransduction...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | Materials & Design |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127520308765 |
| _version_ | 1818451912247214080 |
|---|---|
| author | Eanna Fennell Jacques M. Huyghe |
| author_facet | Eanna Fennell Jacques M. Huyghe |
| author_sort | Eanna Fennell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mechanotransduction is the initiation of an electrochemical signal as a result of mechanical stimuli. It is found predominately in biological tissue and its mechanisms are well documented. In the gel like tissues of the body, such as articular cartilage and intervertebral discs, mechanotransduction regulates matrix building and degrading processes as well as keeping the tissues adequately hydrated, both with the aim of minimizing degradation. The electrochemical responses to mechanical loading at constant volume of an inanimate hydrogel could assist in the understanding of these processes.There is considerable evidence that the modulus of hydrated tissues and hydrogels depend explicitly on ionic concentration. By modeling the mechano-electrochemical relationship of a hydrogel, the coupling of the elastic and electrochemical energies can be quantified. In turn, the mechanisms that govern this phenomenon can be better understood. This study modifies the Flory-Rehner theory of gels, using material-specific experimental data as input. The results show up to a 11% difference in equilibrium swelling magnitude compared to the Flory-Rehner model. Furthermore, under isochoric deformation, an increase in electrical potential is shown with increasing shear strain, something which is not possible with conventional Flory-Rehner and Donnan theory. This aligns the continuum model presented here more closely with both experiment and microscopic theories. The mechanosensing capabilities as well as varying swelling responses in different solution concentrations highlight the models potential applications in both biological and technological settings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T21:14:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3dde07c2e796400f9d8bb4ad8a782965 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0264-1275 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T21:14:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials & Design |
| spelling | doaj.art-3dde07c2e796400f9d8bb4ad8a7829652022-12-21T22:47:07ZengElsevierMaterials & Design0264-12752021-01-01198109340A three-dimensional mechano-electrochemical material model of mechanosensing hydrogelsEanna Fennell0Jacques M. Huyghe1Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland; School of Engineering, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick V94 T9PX, IrelandBernal Institute, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland; School of Engineering, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Corresponding author at: Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland.Mechanotransduction is the initiation of an electrochemical signal as a result of mechanical stimuli. It is found predominately in biological tissue and its mechanisms are well documented. In the gel like tissues of the body, such as articular cartilage and intervertebral discs, mechanotransduction regulates matrix building and degrading processes as well as keeping the tissues adequately hydrated, both with the aim of minimizing degradation. The electrochemical responses to mechanical loading at constant volume of an inanimate hydrogel could assist in the understanding of these processes.There is considerable evidence that the modulus of hydrated tissues and hydrogels depend explicitly on ionic concentration. By modeling the mechano-electrochemical relationship of a hydrogel, the coupling of the elastic and electrochemical energies can be quantified. In turn, the mechanisms that govern this phenomenon can be better understood. This study modifies the Flory-Rehner theory of gels, using material-specific experimental data as input. The results show up to a 11% difference in equilibrium swelling magnitude compared to the Flory-Rehner model. Furthermore, under isochoric deformation, an increase in electrical potential is shown with increasing shear strain, something which is not possible with conventional Flory-Rehner and Donnan theory. This aligns the continuum model presented here more closely with both experiment and microscopic theories. The mechanosensing capabilities as well as varying swelling responses in different solution concentrations highlight the models potential applications in both biological and technological settings.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127520308765Ionized hydrogelMechano-electrochemical couplingFlory-Rehner theoryConstitutive modelingDebye length |
| spellingShingle | Eanna Fennell Jacques M. Huyghe A three-dimensional mechano-electrochemical material model of mechanosensing hydrogels Materials & Design Ionized hydrogel Mechano-electrochemical coupling Flory-Rehner theory Constitutive modeling Debye length |
| title | A three-dimensional mechano-electrochemical material model of mechanosensing hydrogels |
| title_full | A three-dimensional mechano-electrochemical material model of mechanosensing hydrogels |
| title_fullStr | A three-dimensional mechano-electrochemical material model of mechanosensing hydrogels |
| title_full_unstemmed | A three-dimensional mechano-electrochemical material model of mechanosensing hydrogels |
| title_short | A three-dimensional mechano-electrochemical material model of mechanosensing hydrogels |
| title_sort | three dimensional mechano electrochemical material model of mechanosensing hydrogels |
| topic | Ionized hydrogel Mechano-electrochemical coupling Flory-Rehner theory Constitutive modeling Debye length |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127520308765 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT eannafennell athreedimensionalmechanoelectrochemicalmaterialmodelofmechanosensinghydrogels AT jacquesmhuyghe athreedimensionalmechanoelectrochemicalmaterialmodelofmechanosensinghydrogels AT eannafennell threedimensionalmechanoelectrochemicalmaterialmodelofmechanosensinghydrogels AT jacquesmhuyghe threedimensionalmechanoelectrochemicalmaterialmodelofmechanosensinghydrogels |