Highly compressible hydrogel reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals for ultrasound scanning via microwave-assisted synthesis
Journal
Cellulose
Journal Volume
29
Journal Issue
18
Pages
9791
Date Issued
2022-12-01
Author(s)
Abstract
In this study, a rapid fabrication method was developed to prepare hydrogel structures with high mechanical strength and low attenuation coefficient for ultrasound scanning. Poly acrylic acid (PAA) hydrogel was first prepared via a free radical polymerization approach. To shorten the process time (~ 30 min in water bath), microwave heating was applied to facilitate the reaction and reduce the reaction time down to 80 s. The produced hydrogels showed excellent elasticity but had a low compressive strength of 100 kPa. To further enhance the mechanical strengths of PAA hydrogels, cellulosenanocrystals (CNCs) were added to the precursor solution. After the microwave assisted crosslinking process, the compressive strength of the hydrogel increased to 350 kPa. Moreover, the ultimate compressive strain was enhanced from 60 to 80% with great recoverability. The PAA/CNC hydrogel has a great ultrasound trnansimission for high-quality ultrasound images comparable to conventional liquid hydrogels. To demonstrate the feasibility of the PAA/CNC hydrogel in ultrasonic medical applications, a customized ultrasound probe coat was created with a 3D printed mold and practically used in the ultrasound scanning process. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
Subjects
Cellulose nanocrystal | Microwave | PAA hydrogel | Ultrasound transmitting
Publisher
SPRINGER
Type
journal article