Tuning the mechanical properties of nanoporous hydrogel particles via polymer cross-linking

Abstract

Soft hydrogel particles with tunable mechanical properties are promising for next-generation therapeutic applications. This is due to the increasingly proven role that physicochemical properties play in particulate-based delivery vectors, both in vitro and in vivo. The ability to understand and quantify the mechanical properties of such systems is therefore essential to optimize function and performance. We report control over the mechanical properties of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) hydrogel particles based on a mesoporous silica templating method. The mechanical properties of the obtained particles can be finely tuned through variation of the cross-linker concentration, which is hereby qua..