Overview
Synthetic gels are being designed with unprecedented complexity from the bulk material properties down to the scaffold microstructure. This complexity grows out of the vast array of applications and high demand on gel versatility. Gels are part of everyday life from commonly used personal, fabric and home care products to exotic biomaterials designed to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM). Rheological measurement is a critical means for characterizing and validating gelation strategies and gaining insight into their structure and properties. Quantitatively identifying dynamic scaffold structure and properties and the relation to material function is crucial in advancing the design of these materials. My research group uses rheological characterization to measure the change in material properties and scaffold structure during dynamic transitions, i.e. gel-sol and sol-gel. To accomplish this, we develop new experimental techniques, including microfluidic platforms that induce phase transitions, and analysis methods, such as methods to create spatial maps of rheological properties. This work can be leveraged to design gels with highly-engineered microstructures and properties that can be tailored throughout the phase transition.