Abstract
White matter in the brain is anisotropic, which means it has directionally dependent properties, and has a stiffness of 1-3 KPa. The objective of this project was to create PVA that mimicked these properties well. A hydrogel that mimicked the properties of the brain was to be created and the process had to be easily replicable. Polyvinyl Alcohol is a water soluble synthetic polymer and can be made into a hydrogel. From the DST and Biaxial testing that was completed this semester, as well as the Uniaxial and Rheometry testing completed in previous semesters, the mechanical properties of PVA have been well established. The gels, at a 10% concentration, have a shear modulus between 4 and 5 KPa, which is too stiff, and the gels are slightly anisotropic.
Document Type
Final Report
Class Name
Mechanical Engineering and Material Sciences Independent Study
Date of Submission
12-17-2019
Recommended Citation
Hukeri, Payal, "Polyvinyl Alcohol Hydrogels" (2019). Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study. 122.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/mems500/122