Controlling hydrogel defects

Julia Zhao and Mingjiang Zhong, a postdoctoral associate, investigated the potential uses of hydrogel defects, such as an extracellular matrix.

“The basic idea is to try to quantify the primary loop reactions in relation to the mechanical properties of a gel (hydrogels),” Zhao says of the project that Zhao is working on with assistant professors Jeremiah Johnson, who teaches chemistry, and Brad Olsen, who teaches chemical engineering.

“The test of this undertaking is in many gels or elastomers you generally end up with some essential circle, which is a deformity in the gel,” Zhong says. “Controlling the number of defects and enhancing the mechanical properties are the two objectives.