Register now After registration you will be able to apply for this opportunity online.
Ultra-High Molecular Weight Hydrogels With Extreme Mechanical Properties
Hydrogels composed of ultra-high molecular weight polymers exhibit remarkable mechanical properties, including exceptional stretchability exceeding 2000%. This performance stems from the extensive polymer entanglements inherent to their high molecular weight. These entanglements create a dense, interconnected network that distributes stress efficiently, enabling the hydrogel to withstand significant deformation without breaking. The resulting materials combine the advantageous properties of hydrogels, such as high water content and biocompatibility, with superior mechanical robustness, making them ideal for applications in flexible electronics, soft robotics, and biomedical devices. Their ability to endure extreme stretching and recover their original shape highlights their potential in innovative, high-performance material design.
This project aims to tune various hydrogel formulations with superior mechanical properties. As part of this project you will engineer hydrogels that excel in mechanical strength without compromising biocompatibility. The hydrogels will be cast into molds, where you will learn how to independently carry out mechanical tests on the materials. The different formulations of the system will be compared and allow conclusions on the underlying mechanisms of the energy dissipation of these specific type of gels.
This project aims to tune various hydrogel formulations with superior mechanical properties. As part of this project you will engineer hydrogels that excel in mechanical strength without compromising biocompatibility. The hydrogels will be cast into molds, where you will learn how to independently carry out mechanical tests on the materials. The different formulations of the system will be compared and allow conclusions on the underlying mechanisms of the energy dissipation of these specific type of gels.
The main aim of this project is to develop and test new hydrogel formulations with ultra-high molecular weight polymers. These hydrogels are cast into engineered molds and measured to assess their improved mechanical properties.
The main aim of this project is to develop and test new hydrogel formulations with ultra-high molecular weight polymers. These hydrogels are cast into engineered molds and measured to assess their improved mechanical properties.
If the above description has sparked your interest, please feel free to apply or contact us for more information!
Contact Details
Supervisor: Dr. Stefan Mommer
Email: smommer@ethz.ch
Site: www.stefanmommer.com
To apply please include a short motivation letter, a CV and a full transcript of records
If the above description has sparked your interest, please feel free to apply or contact us for more information!
Contact Details Supervisor: Dr. Stefan Mommer Email: smommer@ethz.ch Site: www.stefanmommer.com To apply please include a short motivation letter, a CV and a full transcript of records