Gels and Emulsions

Rheological studies of bio-based hydrogels

The overarching goal of my project is to examine the following material platform:

Injectable bio-based hydrogels of collagen and ECM-based materials
Morphology-controlled tannic acid particles incorporated in collagen and ECM-based hydrogels
Cellulose nanofibrils combined with collagen and ECM-based materials

Within each system, I will focus on addressing some critical issues. I will inquire how the injectability of pre-gel solution, gelation kinetics, final gel stiffness and yielding behavior of the collagen and ECM-based hydrogels get altered by controlling their concentrations, digestion conditions and thermal environments through rheological studies. I will explore the role of biodegradable morphology-controlled tannic acid particles on improving the mechanical properties of bio-based hydrogels. I will also investigate how interpenetrating polymer networking can enhance the overall hydrogel strength and stiffness by integrating nature-derived cellulose nanofibrils into the injectable hydrogels.