A sol-gel process is used to create materials with a set of three-dimensional chemically crosslinked solid networks from polyurea with their meso- and macropores filled with a liquid phase. These materials are suitable for transport of nutrients and will have applications as tissue scaffolds. However, the mechanical properties of the gels must match those of the corresponding part of the body. This paper presents an analysis of the compressive mechanical properties of the emulsion-templated polyurea aerogels and water-filled gels and their comparison to the compressive mechanical properties of intervertebral disc, as well as the cytotoxic effect of the water-filled gels. The compressive modulus, stress recovery, and the torsional shear moduli are considered in order to fully characterize the mechanical properties. The cytotoxic response is characterized with the direct contact and agar diffusion cultures of L929 cells. The results show that water-filled gels offer similar mechanical properties to those of intervertebral discs. Additionally, the preliminary results show that the water-filled gels elicit a minimal cytotoxic response.

Analysis of mechanical and cytotoxic properties of emulsion-templated macroporous-mesoporous polyurea gels

2019 Fall National Meeting

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