Mechanical Properties of Small Scale and Soft Biological Materials

Zoom Link: https://bostonu.zoom.us/j/93315594357?pwd=eE4wQS9lZjA2aloyMkQ2dG5CS21kZz09

 Meeting ID: 933 1559 4357

Passcode: 689715

Abstract

The mechanical behavior of biological materials (often small and ultrasoft) is based on complex structure-function relationships. These relationships are a function of underlying substrate material, chemistry, and geometry. With the advent of 3D bioprinting, scaffold design and materials properties have entered an unexplored territory that lacks a “standard materials” properties database. Traditionally, nanoindentation-based techniques have been used to characterize the mechanical properties of complex structures and biological tissues.  Although nanoindentation is a very useful method, its knowledge and experience are primarily derived from conventional materials like metals, ceramics, and polymers. Nanoindentation of ultrasoft and small-scale materials is full of challenges and requires a very approach for tissue engineering application.  This talk will address how to overcome those challenges. Several examples related to the mechanical behavior of 3D printed polymer structures and cardiac tissued will be presented.  An approach to evaluating multi- (meso/macro to micro) scale properties of soft materials will be presented, which could create a database for the modeling.

Short Bio

Dr. Arvind Agarwal is a Distinguished University Professor and Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Florida International University (FIU), Miami, FL, USA. He also serves as the Director of the Advanced Materials Engineering Research Institute (AMERI).  Prof. Agarwal obtained his B.S from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Prof. Agarwal has published more than 325 technical articles, including 255 peer-reviewed journal articles, 3 books, and 7 patents.  Prof. Agarwal is an elected Fellow of the American Society of Materials (ASM) and a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).