Lecture 3

Viscoelasticity
Mechanical Properties on Cell Function
 Ted Talk #3
Dr. Molly Stevens, Imperial College London
Innovating Biomaterials Design for Regenerative Medicine and Biosensing Lab

https://www.ted.com/talks/molly_stevens_a_new_way_to_grow_bone
Mechanical Properties of Biomaterials: Stress-Strain Curve
Poisson’s Ratio

Poisson’s Ratio : a contraction perpendicular to the

extension caused by a tensile stress
Time-dependent
 1678 Robert Hooke developed his True
Theory of Elasticity.
 The power of any spring is in the same
proportion with the tension thereof.
 Hooke’s Law: Stress = Modulous x Strain
 Spring: Mechanical Analogue of Elastic
Response.
 Applied stress is the same.
 Different strain values.
 What is order of modulus?
 Dashpot: mechanical analogues of viscous response.
 The resistance which arises from the lack of
slipperiness of the parts of the liquid, other
things being equal, is proportional to the
velocity with which the parts of the liquid are

separated from one another.

 Rheometer: an instrument measures both viscosity and viscoelasticity of fluids, semi-solids and solids.
 Information about materials:
- Viscosity: function of shear rate or stress, time and temperature dependent
- Viscoelastic properties (shear modulus) with respect to time, temperature, frequency and
stress/strain
Fundamentally a rotational rheometer
applies or measures:
 Torque (force)
 Angular displacement (strain)
 Angular velocity (strain rate)

 M: torque
 θ: angular motor deflection (radians)
 Adapting Rheometer to Characterize Soft Biomaterials/Hydrogels
 Monitor in situ transition from liquid phase to elastic solid-like material phase.
Extra points:
What does it look like
for complete elastic
material versus
complete viscous
liquid material?
Dynamic Oscillation Methods

10000
10000

1000

M odulus (P a)
M odulus (Pa)
100

1000
10 G'
G' 1:0.5
G''
G' 1:1
1 G' 1:2
G' 1:4
G' 1:5
100
0.1 0.1 1 10 100
0 5 10 15 50 60 Angular frequency (rad/s)
Time (min)

Time Sweep Frequency Sweep

Liquid to Solid transition Elasticity and Stability
 Experimental condition is important!
 Match frequency to organ choice, cardiac tissues versus vocal fold.
 Linear region: modulus is independent of strain
 Non-linear region: modulus is a function of strain
 Transient Mechanical Tests
 Stress relaxation
Strain is applied to sample instantaneously and held constant over time. Z stress is monitored as a

function of time.
 12000
10wt% RLP 15%
30%

Shear Stress (Pa)

9000
45%
60%
6000

3000

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Time (s)
12000
10wt% 4-Arm PEG-NH2

Shear Stress (Pa)

9000 15%
30%
45%
6000
60%

3000

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Time (s)
 Transient Mechanical Tests
 Creep Recovery
Stress is applied to sample instantaneously, and held constant for a specific period of time.
The strain is monitored as a function time.
Extra point: Draw the recovery curve upon release of stress!
Why? Why is this important?

Mechanical interactions between cells and

extracellular matrix
 Cell
 ECM
 Macromolecular interaction
Biological tissues and extracellular matrices are viscoelastic
and exhibit stress relaxation in response to a deformation