Non-destructive mechanical characterization of hydrogels and soft biomaterials

Mechanical properties are critical to understanding the behavior, performance, and functionality of hydrogels, soft biomaterials, and biological tissues. Researchers need reliable ways to characterize properties such as stiffness and viscoelastic behavior across material development, formulation, processing, and testing.

Conventional mechanical testing methods can present challenges when working with soft, fragile, or evolving materials, particularly when direct contact, sample manipulation, or destructive measurements interfere with the sample or make repeated measurements difficult.

Mechanical Characterization with ElastoSens™ Bio

ElastoSens™ Bio is a mechanical testing technology designed to characterize the viscoelastic properties of hydrogels, soft biomaterials, and biological tissues.

Its non-destructive, contact-free measurement approach enables both mechanical characterization at a specific time point and repeated measurements on the same sample. This allows researchers to monitor changes in mechanical properties during processes such as gel formation, crosslinking, degradation, swelling, maturation, or response to environmental conditions.

How the Technology Works

ElastoSens™ Bio uses vibration-based mechanical testing (VeTBiM). A gentle vibration is applied through a patented sample holder while an optical sensor measures the sample response without direct contact. From this response, the system determines viscoelastic properties in real time while preserving the sample for subsequent measurements or analyses.

What This Enables

The technology provides researchers with a flexible approach to mechanical characterization of soft and fragile materials, enabling:

• Characterization of viscoelastic properties
• Non-destructive and contact-free measurements
• Repeated measurements on the same sample
• Longitudinal monitoring of mechanical properties
• Real-time monitoring of material evolution
• Reduced sample handling
• Preservation of samples for subsequent measurements or analyses

Potential Applications

ElastoSens™ Bio can support a broad range of research and development applications involving soft materials, including:

• Hydrogel development and formulation
• Crosslinking and gelation studies
• Degradation monitoring
• Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
• 3D bioprinting and scaffolds
• Drug delivery systems
• Biological tissue characterization
• Other soft biomaterial applications requiring mechanical characterization or longitudinal monitoring

Technology Readiness and Validation

ElastoSens™ Bio is a commercially available technology that has been used in scientific and applied research across a range of soft materials and biological samples. Applications demonstrated in research and technical studies include hydrogel formulation and crosslinking, longitudinal hydrogel degradation monitoring, photocrosslinking, tissue characterization, blood coagulation, and mechanical characterization of 3D-printed constructs.

Partnership Opportunities

We are interested in connecting with research and industry partners working with hydrogels, biological tissues, and other soft biomaterials where advanced mechanical characterization could provide new insights, simplify testing workflows, or enable new applications.