(163z) Controlling Diffusion Properties of Peg Hydrogels by Varying Polymerization Characteristics

Polyethylene glycol is one of the most extensively used biocompatible polymers used for implantation. It shows excellent diffusion properties in addition to minimal biofouling. We will investigate how altering chain length (both of a single length and mixtures of various lengths), polymerization energy, polymerization time, and photoinitiator concentration alter the diffusion characteristics and swelling of these hydrogels. By doing this, we hope to be able to characterize and model the variations introduced by all of the mentioned parameters. By performing this modeling, we will be better able to understand how to intelligently design our system for use in various applications, including drug delivery and protein encapsulation.