I-Corps: Meso-indentation System for Ultra-soft Biomaterials

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是一个机械地表征软材料的系统。超软材料在介观尺度上的力学特性对于组织工程支架、结构和包装材料、泡沫和粘合剂、洗涤剂和化妆品、涂料、食品添加剂、润滑剂和燃料添加剂至关重要。然而，目前软和超软材料的力学表征技术在很大程度上依赖于拉伸测试。主要的局限性是1)由于难以制备均匀的样品而导致的高标准偏差，2)测试后的样品损坏，以及3)无法测量粘性液体材料。这种介观压痕方法的独特优势是能够在超软材料的压痕、拉上和拉出过程中捕获机械性能。该试验台的另一个新奇之处是通过光传感器对粘连事件进行了现场可视化。因此，该工具可以缩短仿生心脏补片的制造时间，控制质量，并通过记录制造中成功的组织支架来提高植入的功能安全性。此外，该工具在食品生产、汽车石油生产和航空航天工业中也有潜在的应用。i-Corps项目基于开发一种能够在厘米级精确表征软材料和超软材料的机械性能的系统。它包括连接到机械加载框架致动器的适配器、压头探头固定器、基于聚合物的压头探头、设置在压头探头下方并被配置为保持软和超软材料的样品夹持器以及光传感器。该系统的独特优势包括1)捕获粘附力和原位粘合事件的能力，2)与本测试方法相关的弹性模数范围从0.5 kpa到40 Mpa，以及3)对传统桌面机械框架的适应性。除此之外，这种专利方法适用于各种仿生材料，如固体、半固体和液体形式，具有各向异性和异质性。对于组织工程，获得的数据将提供关键的基准价值，并评估生物材料或生物构造用于组织治疗的可行性。例如，通过引导天然材料和人造材料的力学性能兼容，可以有效地提高心脏补片的质量。它还限制了并发症，增强了功能表现，改善了成熟度，并减少了心脏病患者的住院。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is a system to characterize soft materials mechanically. Mechanical characterization of ultra-soft materials on the meso-scale is critical for tissue engineering scaffolds, structural and packaging materials, foams and adhesives, detergents and cosmetics, paints, food additives, lubricants, and fuel additives. However, the current mechanical characterization technique for soft and ultra-soft materials relies heavily on tensile testing. The main limitations are 1) high standard deviation due to difficulty preparing uniform samples, 2) sample damage after testing, and 3) inability to measure viscous liquid materials. The unique advantage of this meso-indentation methodology is the ability to capture mechanical properties during indentation pull-on and pull-off events of ultra-soft materials. Another novelty of the presented testbed is the in-situ visualization of adhesion events through a light sensor. Therefore, this tool can improve processing time in manufacturing biomimetic cardiac patches, control the quality, and improve the functional safety for implantation by documenting successful tissue scaffolds in manufacturing. Beyond that, this tool also has potential applications in food production, automotive oil production, and aerospace industries.This I-Corps project is based on developing a system capable of accurate mechanical performance characterizations for soft and ultra-soft materials on the centimeter scale. It comprises an adaptor attached to the mechanical load frame actuator, an indenter probe holder, a polymer-based indenter probe, a sample holder disposed below the indenter probe and configured to hold the soft and ultra-soft material, and a light sensor. The unique advantages of this system include 1) the ability to capture adhesion forces and in-situ adhesion events, 2) the elastic modulus range that concerns this testing methodology ranges from 0.5 kPa to 40 MPa, and 3) adaptability to conventional tabletop mechanical frames. Beyond that, this proprietary method works for a wide range of biomimetic materials, such as solids, semi-solid, and liquid forms, with anisotropic and heterogeneous properties. For tissue engineering, the acquired data will provide critical benchmarking values and evaluate the feasibility of biomaterials or bio-constructs for tissue therapies. For example, it can effectively improve the quality of cardiac patches by guiding the compatibility of mechanical properties between native and artificial materials. It also limits complications, enhancing functional performances, improving maturation, and reducing cardiac patients' hospitalization.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.