Similar articles

Abstract: Granular composite (GC) hydrogels have attracted considerable interest in biomedical applications due to their versatile printability and exceptional mechanical properties. However, the lack of comprehensive design guidelines has limited their optimal engineering, as the factors influencing their mechanical performance and printability remain largely unexamined. In this study, we developed GC hydrogels by integrating microgels with interstitial matrices of photocrosslinkable gelatin meth? acrylate (GelMA). We utilized confocal microscopy and nanoindentation analyses to investigate the spatial distribution and mechanical behavior of these hydrogels. Our findings indicate that the mechanical and rheological properties of GC hydrogels can be precisely tailored by adjusting the volume fraction and size of the microgels. Furthermore, hydrogen bonds were iden? tified as significant contributors to compressive performance, although they had minimal effect on cyclic mechanical behav? ior. Compared to bulk GelMA hydrogels, GC hydrogels demonstrated enhanced printability and remarkable superelasticity. As a proof of concept, we illustrated their dual printability in embedded printing to create prosthetic liver models for preop? erative planning. This study provides valuable insights into the design and optimization of GC hydrogels for advanced bio? medical applications.