Fabrication of mechanically robust PEG-based hydrogels for 3d printing and injection

Hydrogels are three-dimensional networks of crosslinked polymers with high water absorption capacity. They are already found in everyday items like diapers, contact lenses, and wound dressings. They could also be used to restore damaged tissues in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. However, because of their high water content and structural flaws, hydrogels are frequently soft and brittle, restricting their use in load-bearing applications like cartilage. This study used two methods to improve the mechanical properties of hydrogels. First, click chemistries were used to improve network homogeneity. Second, interpenetrating networks were created by mixing two different hydrogels, allowing this network to take advantage of each component's characteristics. To minimize patient discomfort, efforts were also made to make these hydrogels injectable for more straightforward needle delivery. The thesis also concentrated on enabling hydrogels to be processed with light-based 3D printing technologies, specifically volumetric printing, to create complex, patient-specific structures with high mechanical properties and resolution in seconds.