Martin Danner is acknowledged for his assistance in preparing samples and establishment of cell culture procedures. The authors would like to thank Biesterfeld Spezialchemie GmbH (Hamburg, Germany), especially Robert Radsziwill for continuous support and discussions. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union&#39;s Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013) /ERC Grant Agreement n. 340929.

<ol>
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The authors have nothing to disclose.

The design of composite structures enables the simple adjustment of material properties, such as Young&#39;s modulus or the thickness of the samples. The Young&#39;s modulus of PDMS can be effectively changed in a wide range by either altering the mixing ratio between the two components or manufacturing of blends using a different silicone elastomer30,31. The described methods are not limited to the PDMS&#39;s used in the current investigation, but especially the adhesive performance depends strongly on the specific type used. A critical step within this protocol is the manufacturing process of the composite films (Figure 1). It was shown that thickness of the films affects significantly the adhesion behavior of the films on different substrates, including skin (Figure 5 and Figure 6). In addition to the film thickness, time and temperature during the curing process affects the material properties32. Therefore, parameters as the thickness of the polymeric layers have to be carefully adapted and verified.
Analysis of the adhesive properties of the thin films was performed with normal force adhesion measurements using two glass substrates with different surface roughness up to Ra = 0.338 &#181;m (Figure 3). In general, roughness impacts significantly the adhesion of surfaces, especially of elastic materials33,34. The roughness of glass can be easily varied by grinding with sandpaper of different asperity sizes, therefore allowing the fabrication of substrates exhibiting higher roughness values21. In addition, other materials, for example epoxy resin can be used for the production of substrates15,35. This might be an important modification strategy of the presented protocol. For example, if substrates exhibiting different surface free energies are needed or specific topographies are required. Here, pull-off stress and work of separation of the thin films manufactured of PDMS and SSA were analyzed with a custom-built setup (macroscopic adhesion measurement device (MAD, Figure 4)).36 Optical alignment of substrate and indenter is a critical step for the analysis of the measurement results. Therefore, adjustment of the tilt angle needs to be performed with the goniometer, as precise as possible. This can be achieved with sufficient precision by manually bringing the substrate into contact with the film surface until a horizontal contact is achieved.
In the current protocol the hold time was kept constant at one second (Figure 5 and Figure 7). Especially for the investigation of the adhesive performance of an elastic film to a rough substrate surface, an extension of the hold time provides additional information. For example, an increase in pull-off stress with increasing hold time has been reported8. In addition to the measurements performed in the current protocol, other methods, for example peel tests could be performed, allowing a more comprehensive investigation of adhesion performance37.
The adhesive properties of composite films exhibiting different film thicknesses of the soft skin adhesive were determined (Figure 7). Our results are in line with published data, showing that a decrease of film thickness lead to an increase of the pull-off stress as the confinement, i.e., the ratio between substrate diameter and film thickness, increases38,39. Based on these results and the data depicted in Figure 7, we conclude that composite films with a total thickness of approx. 100 &#181;m (a thickness of the SSA layer of approx. 60 &#181;m applied to a PDMS film with a thickness of approx. 40 &#181;m) exhibit favorable adhesion properties on rough surfaces.
Next, experiments related to the biological characterization have been performed on pristine composite films and plasma treated composite films (Figure 8). Plasma treatment of silicon elastomers is an often applied, versatile technique to increase the hydrophilic properties of surfaces and promoting cellular attachment and cellular spreading40,41. Silicones are well known for their low toxicity and high biostability but may contain residual monomers or catalysts which might influence physiological processes, leading also to cytotoxicity42,43. In the conducted experiments we have observed less than 5% cytotoxicity using LDH release as an indicator and a Trypan Blue exclusion assay. In the presented protocol, the entire cellular population, including cellular aggregates detached form the surface has been analyzed for proliferation analysis (Figure 9B). A modification of the protocol could produce more differentiated results. For each sample, the supernatant containing detached cellular aggregates could be transferred to a separate reaction tube and not combined with the cells enzymatically removed from the polymer surface. This would allow the exact assessment of cells attached to the surface and eventually reveal a more detailed determination of the influence of the polymers on the cellular adhesion process. In addition to the immunocytochemical methods presented here, cells might be harvested for investigation with immunoblot methods, allowing a detailed quantitative assessment of protein expression.
In summary, we have established manufacturing conditions for the production of thin elastomeric composite films for applications in advanced cell culture research. Additionally, these thin films possess high adaptability to skin roughness, enabling sophisticated design of skin adhesives.

In this protocol, detailed methods for manufacturing of thin elastomer films are presented. The widely available doctor blade technique has been used for the production of thin composite films. The manufacturing technique has been performed on polyethylenterephtalate (PET) foils, enabling subsequent production of these films in large scale. Emphasis of this protocol is the assessment of reproducibility, precise manufacturing of the different layers of the composite films and determination of the biological and adhesion properties of the final composite patch. The silicone elastomer poly-(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is extensively used in biomedical technology, including production of skin adhesives, microfluidics applications and additional research fields1,2,3,4. Recently, another subclass of PDMS, so called Soft Skin Adhesives (SSAs) have been introduced, particular for gentle skin bonding and de-bonding.
Silicone SSAs are vinyl functionalized elastomers, differing from analogous polymers by the absence of reinforcing silica5. Similar to other PDMS, SSA&#39;s Young&#39;s modulus can be adapted in a wide range by modulating cross-linker concentration or curing time6,7,8. This change in Young&#39;s modulus of silicone elastomers affects the adhesive properties of the material significantly and has also profound consequences on prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells cultured on the surface9,10,11. On the cellular biological level, it was shown, that eukaryotic cells respond on the signal transduction level to a modulation of the matrix elasticity or thickness of the surface9,10,12,13,14. Therefore, a broad interest in cell culture applications of polymers with tunable mechanical properties exist. Importantly, the intrinsically low surface energy of silicone based elastomers does not provide optimal conditions for cell culture of eukaryotic cells. Oxygen plasma treatment is a widely used technique to increase PDMS low surface energy temporarily, leading to an enhancement of its pull-off strength, decreased surface adsorption of molecules, while in parallel promoting attachment, spreading and proliferation of eukaryotic cells15,16,17,18.
In addition to the materials properties, the surface topography significantly affects cellular adhesion and the adhesive interaction between two materials19,20,21,22. Surface roughness has several effects on the contact formation between two surfaces: reduction of the contact area, high stored elastic energy surrounding asperities as well as influence on the crack propagation can alter the adhesive strength23,24. Adhesion of self-adhesive films to human skin is an emerging application field, e.g., wound dressings, fixation of ECG electrodes or other wearable electronic devices25,26,27,28. To measure the adhesive performance of self-adhesives in relation to surface topography, glass substrates with varying degrees of roughness can be used in normal adhesion measurements8,21. Here, two glass substrates have been selected to investigate the adhesive properties of the polymer films. First, composite films with a PDMS backing layer in a mixing ratio of 10 to 1 weight parts covered by PDMS with different mixing ratio were characterized. In a second step a adhesive SSA layer was prepared with equal weight amounts of both components and with varying film thickness on top of a supporting PDMS film.

<table><tbody><tr><td>2-Propanol, 97%</td><td>Stockmeier Chemie</td><td>1000452610000</td><td>Isopropanol</td></tr><tr><td>Abrasive diamnod hand pad</td><td>Bohle</td><td>MO 5007522</td><td>Grit: 220</td></tr><tr><td>Accutase</td><td>Capricorn Scientific</td><td>ACC-1B</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Albumin Fraktion V</td><td>Roth</td><td>0163.2</td><td>BSA</td></tr><tr><td>Alexa Fluor 488 Phalloidin</td><td>ThermoFischer Scientific</td><td>A12379</td><td>highly toxic</td></tr><tr><td>Aquamount</td><td>Polysciences</td><td>18606-20</td><td>water soluble mounting medium</td></tr><tr><td>CytoTox-ONE Homogeneous Membrane Integrity Assay</td><td>Promega</td><td>G7890</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DPBS, without Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;, Mg&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;</td><td>ThermoFischer Scientific</td><td>14190094</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Fetal bovine serum gold</td><td>GE Health Care Life Science</td><td>A15-151</td><td>FBS</td></tr><tr><td>Goniometer OCA35</td><td>Dataphysics</td><td></td><td>for the determination of the static water contact angle</td></tr><tr><td>Hoechst Dye 33342</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>B1155-100MG</td><td>bisBenzimide H 33342 trihydrochloride, highly toxic</td></tr><tr><td>Microscope Axiovert 25</td><td>Zeiss</td><td></td><td>Microscope used for cell culture documentation</td></tr><tr><td>Microscope Eclipse LV100ND</td><td>Nikon</td><td></td><td>Microscope used for film thickness determination</td></tr><tr><td>Paraformaldehyde, aqueous solution 16%</td><td>Electron Microscopy Sciences</td><td>RT 15710</td><td>electron microscopy grade</td></tr><tr><td>penicillin und streptomycin solution</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>P4333-100ML</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Phenom XL Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)</td><td>Phenom</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Poly-(vinyl alcohol) 4-88, MW 31000</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>81381-1KG</td><td>Mowiol 4-88</td></tr><tr><td>Poly-dimethyl siloxanes, Sylgard 184</td><td>Dow Corning</td><td>(400)000108351397</td><td>PDMS</td></tr><tr><td>RPMI 1640 basal medium</td><td>ThermoFischer Scientific</td><td>21875034</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>soft skin adhesive (SSA)</td><td>Dow Corning</td><td>(400)000108251792</td><td>MG 7-9800 Soft Skin Adhesive (SSA)</td></tr><tr><td>speed mixer DAC 600.2 VAC-P</td><td>Hauschild</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>stylus profilomter</td><td>Zeiss</td><td></td><td>Model: SURFCOM 1500SD3</td></tr><tr><td>Tecan Infinite M200 pro</td><td>Tecan</td><td></td><td>fluorescence plate reader</td></tr><tr><td>Triton X 100</td><td>Calbiochem</td><td>648466</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Trypan Blue solution</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>T8154-100ML</td><td>highly toxic</td></tr><tr><td>Trypsin/EDTA solution</td><td>PAN-Biotech</td><td>P10-023500</td><td>0.05% Trypsin, 0.02% EDTA in PBS</td></tr><tr><td>UV glue</td><td>Bohle</td><td>BO MV76002</td><td>medium viscosity</td></tr></tbody></table>

thin film composite silicon elastomers for cell culture and skin applications: manufacturing and characterization

In this protocol, we present methods to fabricate thin elastomer composite films for advanced cell culture applications and for the development of skin adhesives. Two different poly-(dimethyl siloxanes) (PDMS and soft skin adhesive (SSA)), have been used for in depth investigation of biological effects and adhesive characteristics. The composite films consist of a flexible backing layer and an adhesive top coating. Both layers have been manufactured by doctor blade application technique. In the present investigation, the adhesive behavior of the composite films has been investigated as a function of the layer thickness or a variation of the Young&#39;s modulus of the top layer. The Young&#39;s modulus of PDMS has been changed by varying the base to crosslinker mixing ratio. In addition, the thickness of SSA films has been varied from approx. 16 &#181;m to approx. 320 &#181;m. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy have been used for thickness measurements. The adhesive properties of elastomer films depend strongly on the film thickness, the Young&#39;s modulus of the polymers and surface characteristics. Therefore, normal adhesion of these films on glass substrates exhibiting smooth and rough surfaces has been investigated. Pull-off stress and work of separation are dependent on the mixing ratio of silicone elastomers.
Additionally, the thickness of the soft skin adhesive placed on top of a supportive backing layer has been varied in order to produce patches for skin applications. Cytotoxicity, proliferation and cellular adhesion of L929 murine fibroblasts on PDMS films (mixing ratio 10:1) and SSA films (mixing ratio 50:50) have been conducted. We have shown here, for the first time, the side by side comparison of thin composite films manufactured of both polymers and present the investigation of their biological- and adhesive properties.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Thin Film Composite Silicon Elastomers for Cell Culture and Skin Applications: Manufacturing and Characterization at JoVE.com

Thin Film Composite Silicon Elastomers for Cell Culture and Skin Applications: Manufacturing and Characterization

A protocol for the manufacturing process of polymeric thin film composite structures possessing either different Young&#39;s moduli or thicknesses is presented. Films are produced for advanced cell culture studies or as skin adhesives.

In this protocol, we present methods to fabricate thin elastomer composite films for advanced cell culture applications and for the development of skin ...

thin-film-composite-silicon-elastomers-for-cell-culture-skin

Research

JoVE Journal

Developmental Biology

10.6K Views.  INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials. A protocol for the manufacturing process of polymeric thin film composite structures possessing either different Young's moduli or thicknesses is presented. Films are produced for advanced cell culture studies or as skin adhesives.

Video: Thin Film Composite Silicon Elastomers for Cell Culture and Skin Applications: Manufacturing and Characterization

Microfabricated Platforms for Mechanically Dynamic Cell Culture

The ability to systematically probe in vitro cellular response to combinations of mechanobiological stimuli for tissue engineering, drug discovery or fundamental cell biology studies is limited by current bioreactor technologies, which cannot simultaneously apply a variety of mechanical stimuli to cultured cells. In order to address this issue, we have developed a series of microfabricated platforms designed to screen for the effects of mechanical stimuli in a high-throughput format. In this protocol, we demonstrate the fabrication of a microactuator array of vertically displaced posts on which the technology is based, and further demonstrate how this base technology can be modified to conduct high-throughput mechanically dynamic cell culture in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional culture paradigms.

In this protocol, we demonstrate the fabrication of a microactuator array of vertically displaced posts on which the technology is based, and how this base technology can be modified to conduct high-throughput mechanically dynamic cell culture in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional culture paradigms.

The ability to systematically probe in vitro cellular response to combinations of mechanobiological stimuli for tissue engineering, drug discovery or ...

Bioengineering

Silk Film Culture System for in vitro Analysis and Biomaterial Design

Silk films are promising protein-based biomaterials that can be fabricated with high fidelity and economically within a research laboratory environment 1,2 . These materials are desirable because they possess highly controllable dimensional and material characteristics, are biocompatible and promote cell adhesion, can be modified through topographic patterning or by chemically altering the surface, and can be used as a depot for biologically active molecules for drug delivery related applications 3-8 . In addition, silk films are relatively straightforward to custom design, can be designed to dissolve within minutes or degrade over years in vitro or in vivo, and are produce with the added benefit of being transparent in nature and therefore highly suitable for imaging applications 9-13. The culture system methodology presented here represents a scalable approach for rapid assessments of cell-silk film surface interactions. Of particular interest is the use of surface patterned silk films to study differences in cell proliferation and responses of cells for alignment 12,14 . The seeded cultures were cultured on both micro-patterned and flat silk film substrates, and then assessed through time-lapse phase-contrast imaging, scanning electron microscopy, and biochemical assessment of metabolic activity and nucleic acid content. In summary, the silk film in vitro culture system offers a customizable experimental setup suitable to the study of cell-surface interactions on a biomaterial substrate, which can then be optimized and then translated to in vivo models. Observations using the culture system presented here are currently being used to aid in applications ranging from basic cell interactions to medical device design, and thus are relevant to a broad range of biomedical fields.

Silk Film Culture System for in vitro Analysis and Biomaterial Design

Silk films are a novel class of biomaterials readily customizable for an array of biomedical applications. The presented silk film culture system is highly adaptable to a variety of in vitro analyses. This system represents a biomaterial design platform offering in vitro optimization before direct translation to in vivo models.

Silk films are promising protein-based biomaterials that can be fabricated with high fidelity and economically within a research laboratory environment ...

Silicon Microchips for Manipulating Cell-cell Interaction

The role of the cellular microenvironment is recognized as crucial in determining cell fate and function in virtually all mammalian tissues from development to malignant transformation.&nbsp; In particular, interaction with neighboring stroma has been implicated in a plethora of biological phenomena; however, conventional techniques limit the ability to interrogate the spatial and dynamic elements of such interactions.
In Micromechanical Reconfigurable Culture (RC), we employ a micromachined silicon substrate with moving parts to dynamically control cell-cell interactions through mechanical repositioning. Previously, this method has been applied to investigate intercellular communication in co-cultures of hepatocytes and non-parenchymal cells, demonstrating time-dependent interactions and a limited range for soluble signaling 1.
Here, we describe in detail the preparation and use of the RC system. We begin by demonstrating the handling of the device parts using tweezers, including actuating between the gap and contact configurations (cell populations separated by a narrow 80-&micro;m gap, or in direct intimate contact). Next, we detail the process of preparing the substrates for culture, and the multi-step cell seeding process required for obtaining confluent cell monolayers. Using live microscopy, we then illustrate real-time manipulation of cells between the different possible experimental configurations. Finally, we demonstrate the steps required in order to regenerate the device surface for reuse: toluene and piranha cleaning, polystyrene coating, and oxygen plasma treatment.

This article describes an experimental approach for dynamic regulation of cell-cell interactions between adherent cells on a micrometer scale. Manipulation of intercellular communication between hepatocytes and stromal cell is demonstrated. The developed platform enables investigation of cell-cell interactions in a variety of biological processes, including development and pathogenesis.

The role of the cellular microenvironment is recognized as crucial in determining cell fate and function in virtually all mammalian tissues from ...

Biology

Fabrication Process of Silicone-based Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

This contribution demonstrates the fabrication process of dielectric elastomer transducers (DETs). DETs are stretchable capacitors consisting of an elastomeric dielectric membrane sandwiched between two compliant electrodes. The large actuation strains of these transducers when used as actuators (over 300% area strain) and their soft and compliant nature has been exploited for a wide range of applications, including electrically tunable optics, haptic feedback devices, wave-energy harvesting, deformable cell-culture devices, compliant grippers, and propulsion of a bio-inspired fish-like airship. In most cases, DETs are made with a commercial proprietary acrylic elastomer and with hand-applied electrodes of carbon powder or carbon grease. This combination leads to non-reproducible and slow actuators exhibiting viscoelastic creep and a short lifetime. We present here a complete process flow for the reproducible fabrication of DETs based on thin elastomeric silicone films, including casting of thin silicone membranes, membrane release and prestretching, patterning of robust compliant electrodes, assembly and testing. The membranes are cast on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates coated with a water-soluble sacrificial layer for ease of release. The electrodes consist of carbon black particles dispersed into a silicone matrix and patterned using a stamping technique, which leads to precisely-defined compliant electrodes that present a high adhesion to the dielectric membrane on which they are applied.

This manuscript shows the fabrication process for the manufacture of dielectric elastomer soft actuators based on silicone membranes. The three key stages of production are presented in detail: blade casting of thin silicone membranes; pad printing of compliant electrodes; and the assembly of all the components.

This contribution demonstrates the fabrication process of dielectric elastomer transducers (DETs). DETs are stretchable capacitors consisting of an ...

Engineering

Microfabrication of Chip-sized Scaffolds for Three-dimensional Cell cultivation

Using microfabrication technologies is a prerequisite to create scaffolds of reproducible geometry and constant quality for three-dimensional cell cultivation. These technologies offer a wide spectrum of advantages not only for manufacturing but also for different applications. The size and shape of formed cell clusters can be influenced by the exact and reproducible architecture of the microfabricated scaffold and, therefore, the diffusion path length of nutrients and gases can be controlled.1 This is unquestionably a useful tool to prevent apoptosis and necrosis of cells due to an insufficient nutrient and gas supply or removal of cellular metabolites.
Our polymer chip, called CellChip, has the outer dimensions of 2 x 2 cm with a central microstructured area. This area is subdivided into an array of up to 1156 microcontainers with a typical dimension of 300 m edge length for the cubic design (cp- or cf-chip) or of 300 m diameter and depth for the round design (r-chip).2
So far, hot embossing or micro injection moulding (in combination with subsequent laborious machining of the parts) was used for the fabrication of the microstructured chips. Basically, micro injection moulding is one of the only polymer based replication techniques that, up to now, is capable for mass production of polymer microstructures.3 However, both techniques have certain unwanted limitations due to the processing of a viscous polymer melt with the generation of very thin walls or integrated through holes. In case of the CellChip, thin bottom layers are necessary to perforate the polymer and provide small pores of defined size to supply cells with culture medium e.g. by microfluidic perfusion of the containers.
In order to overcome these limitations and to reduce the manufacturing costs we have developed a new microtechnical approach on the basis of a down-scaled thermoforming process. For the manufacturing of highly porous and thin walled polymer chips, we use a combination of heavy ion irradiation, microthermoforming and track etching. In this so called "SMART" process (Substrate Modification And Replication by Thermoforming) thin polymer films are irradiated with energetic heavy projectiles of several hundred MeV introducing so-called "latent tracks" Subsequently, the film in a rubber elastic state is formed into three dimensional parts without modifying or annealing the tracks. After the forming process, selective chemical etching finally converts the tracks into cylindrical pores of adjustable diameter.

We present two processes for the microfabrication of porous polymer chips for three-dimensional cell cultivation. The first one is hot embossing combined with a solvent vapour welding process. The second one uses a recently developed microthermoforming process combined with ion track technology leading to a significant simplification of manufacture.

Using microfabrication technologies is a prerequisite to create scaffolds of reproducible geometry and constant quality for three-dimensional cell ...

Stretching Micropatterned Cells on a PDMS Membrane

Mechanical forces exerted on cells and/or tissues play a major role in numerous processes. We have developed a device to stretch cells plated on a PolyDiMethylSiloxane (PDMS) membrane, compatible with imaging. This technique is reproducible and versatile. The PDMS membrane can be micropatterned in order to confine cells or tissues to a specific geometry. The first step is to print micropatterns onto the PDMS membrane with a deep UV technique. The PDMS membrane is then mounted on a mechanical stretcher. A chamber is bound on top of the membrane with biocompatible grease to allow gliding during the stretch. The cells are seeded and allowed to spread for several hours on the micropatterns. The sample can be stretched and unstretched multiple times with the use of a micrometric screw. It takes less than a minute to apply the stretch to its full extent (around 30%). The technique presented here does not include a motorized device, which is necessary for applying repeated stretch cycles quickly and/or computer controlled stretching, but this can be implemented. Stretching of cells or tissue can be of interest for questions related to cell forces, cell response to mechanical stress or tissue morphogenesis. This video presentation will show how to avoid typical problems that might arise when doing this type of seemingly simple experiment.

This manuscript presents a technique to apply or release forces on adherent cells or tissues using unidirectional stretching.

Mechanical forces exerted on cells and/or tissues  play a major role in numerous processes. We have developed a device to stretch  cells plated on a ...

Synthesis of Soft Polysiloxane-urea Elastomers for Intraocular Lens Application

This study discusses a synthesis route for soft polysiloxane-based urea (PSU) elastomers for their applications as accommodating intraocular lenses (a-IOLs). Aminopropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) were previously prepared via the ring-chain equilibration of the cyclic siloxane octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and 1,3-bis(3-aminopropyl)-tetramethyldisiloxane (APTMDS). Phenyl groups were introduced into the siloxane backbone via the copolymerization of D4 and 2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-2,4,6,8-tetraphenyl-cyclotetrasiloxane (D4Me,Ph). These polydimethyl-methyl-phenyl-siloxane-block copolymers were synthesized for increasing the refractive indices of polysiloxanes. For applications as an a-IOL, the refractive index of the polysiloxanes must be equivalent to that of a young human eye lens. The polysiloxane molecular weight is controlled by the ratio of the cyclic siloxane to the endblocker APTMDS. The transparency of the PSU elastomers is examined by the transmittance measurement of films between 200 and 750 nm, using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Transmittance values at 750 nm (upper end of the visible spectrum) are plotted against the PDMS molecular weight, and &#62; 90% of the transmittance is observed until a molecular weight of 18,000 g&#183;mol&#8722;1. Mechanical properties of the PSU elastomers are investigated using stress-strain tests on die-cut dog-bone-shaped specimens. For evaluating mechanical stability, mechanical hysteresis is measured by repeatedly stretching (10x) the specimens to 5% and 100% elongation. Hysteresis considerably decreases with the increase in the PDMS molecular weight. In vitro cytotoxicity of some selected PSU elastomers is evaluated using an MTS cell viability assay. The methods described herein permit the synthesis of a soft, transparent, and noncytotoxic PSU elastomer with a refractive index approximately equal to that of a young human eye lens.

This study describes synthetic routes for aminopropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxanes and polydimethyl-methyl-phenyl-siloxane-block copolymers and for soft polysiloxane-based urea (PSU) elastomers. It presents the application of PSUs as accommodating an intraocular lens. An evaluation method for in vitro cytotoxicity is also described.

This study discusses a synthesis route for soft polysiloxane-based urea (PSU) elastomers for their applications as accommodating intraocular lenses ...

Chemistry

Fabrication and Characterization of a Conformal Skin-like Electronic System for Quantitative, Cutaneous Wound Management

Recent advances in the development of electronic technologies and biomedical devices offer opportunities for non-invasive, quantitative assessment of cutaneous wound healing on the skin. Existing methods, however, still rely on visual inspections through various microscopic tools and devices that normally include high-cost, sophisticated systems and require well trained personnel for operation and data analysis. Here, we describe methods and protocols to fabricate a conformal, skin-like electronics system that enables conformal lamination to the skin surface near the wound tissues, which provides recording of high fidelity electrical signals such as skin temperature and thermal conductivity. The methods of device fabrication provide details of step-by-step preparation of the microelectronic system that is completely enclosed with elastomeric silicone materials to offer electrical isolation. The experimental study presents multifunctional, biocompatible, waterproof, reusable, and flexible/stretchable characteristics of the device for clinical applications. Protocols of clinical testing provide an overview and sequential process of cleaning, testing setup, system operation, and data acquisition with the skin-like electronics, gently mounted on hypersensitive, cutaneous wound and contralateral tissues on patients.

This article presents methods to fabricate and characterize a conformal, skin-like electronic system and protocols for the use in clinical applications, particularly on cutaneous wound management.

Recent advances in the development of electronic technologies and biomedical devices offer opportunities for non-invasive, quantitative assessment of ...

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

LCEs are shape-responsive materials with fully reversible shape change and potential applications in medicine, tissue engineering, artificial muscles, and as soft robots. Here, we demonstrate the preparation of shape-responsive liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) and LCE nanocomposites along with characterization of their shape-responsiveness, mechanical properties, and microstructure. Two types of LCEs &#8212; polysiloxane-based and epoxy-based &#8212; are synthesized, aligned, and characterized. Polysiloxane-based LCEs are prepared through two crosslinking steps, the second under an applied load, resulting in monodomain LCEs. Polysiloxane LCE nanocomposites are prepared through the addition of conductive carbon black nanoparticles, both throughout the bulk of the LCE and to the LCE surface. Epoxy-based LCEs are prepared through a reversible esterification reaction. Epoxy-based LCEs are aligned through the application of a uniaxial load at elevated (160 &#176;C) temperatures. Aligned LCEs and LCE nanocomposites are characterized with respect to reversible strain, mechanical stiffness, and liquid crystal ordering using a combination of imaging, two-dimensional X-ray diffraction measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis. LCEs and LCE nanocomposites can be stimulated with heat and/or electrical potential to controllably generate strains in cell culture media, and we demonstrate the application of LCEs as shape-responsive substrates for cell culture using a custom-made apparatus.

We demonstrate the preparation of siloxane-based and epoxy-based liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) and LCE nanocomposites. The LCEs are characterized with respect to reversible strain, liquid crystal ordering, and stiffness. As a potential application, we demonstrate their use as shape-responsive substrates in a custom device for active cell culture.

LCEs are shape-responsive materials with fully reversible shape change and potential applications in medicine, tissue engineering, artificial muscles, and ...

A Simple and Scalable Fabrication Method for Organic Electronic Devices on Textiles

Today, wearable electronics devices combine a large variety of functional, stretchable, and flexible technologies. However, in many cases, these devices cannot be worn under everyday conditions. Therefore, textiles are commonly considered the best substrate to accommodate electronic devices in wearable use. In this paper, we describe how to selectively pattern organic electroactive materials on textiles from a solution in an easy and scalable manner. This versatile deposition technique enables the fabrication of wearable organic electronic devices on clothes.

In this paper, we present a protocol to selectively deposit organic materials on textiles, which allows for the direct integration of organic electronic devices with wearables. The fabricated devices can be fully integrated in textiles, respecting their mechanical appearance and enabling sensing capabilities.

Today, wearable electronics devices combine a large variety of functional, stretchable, and flexible technologies. However, in many cases, these devices ...

Thin Film Composite Silicon Elastomers for Cell Culture and Skin Applications: Manufacturing and Characterization

Summary

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Chapters in this video

Microfabricated Platforms for Mechanically Dynamic Cell Culture

Silk Film Culture System for in vitro Analysis and Biomaterial Design

Silicon Microchips for Manipulating Cell-cell Interaction

Fabrication Process of Silicone-based Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

Microfabrication of Chip-sized Scaffolds for Three-dimensional Cell cultivation

Stretching Micropatterned Cells on a PDMS Membrane

Synthesis of Soft Polysiloxane-urea Elastomers for Intraocular Lens Application

Fabrication and Characterization of a Conformal Skin-like Electronic System for Quantitative, Cutaneous Wound Management

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

A Simple and Scalable Fabrication Method for Organic Electronic Devices on Textiles