"Stretch Tuning the Surface Wettability of a Natural Rubber Composite: Predicting a Window of Opportunities for Cell Survival"

Autores: Rodney M. do Nascimento, Jean-F. Schmitt, Udi Sarig, João E.F.S. Rodrigues, Carlos Pecharroman, Ana P. Ramos, Pietro Ciancaglini, Fabricio Luiz Faita, Rachid Rahouadj, Antônio C. Hernandes, Ivan H. Bechtold.

Instituições: UFSC.

Autor apresentador: Rodney M. do Nascimento.

Resumo: We report the stress-strain effect of a stretchable natural rubber (NR) calcium phosphate composite on the surface wettability (SW) by an innovative approach coupling uniaxial tensile micro machine, goniometer, and microscope. In-situ contact angle measurements in real-time were performed during mechanical tension. Our results show that SW is guided by the stress-strain relationship with two different characteristics, depending on the static or dynamic experimental set. The results evidenced the limits of the classical theory of wetting. Furthermore, based on the mechanically tunable SW of the system associated with the cytocompatibility of the NR composite, we have modeled such a system for application as cell-support. From the experimental surface energy value, our proposed 3D modeling-numerical simulation predicted a window of opportunities for cell-NR survival under mechanical stimuli. The presented data and the thermodynamics‐based theoretical approach enable not only accurate correlation of SW with mechanical properties of the NR composite, but also provide a huge potential for future cell supportability in view of tissue engineering.

Link do vídeo: https://youtu.be/R-wYKowgdJU

Link da sala do Meet: meet.google.com/vdg-vacr-jbp