Templated, Macroporous PEG‐DA Hydrogels and Their Potential Utility as Tissue Engineering Scaffolds

Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG‐DA) hydrogels have been widely utilized to investigate cell–material interactions and as scaffolds for tissue engineering. Traditionally, PEG‐DA hydrogels are prepared via the UV‐cure of aqueous precursor solutions, but afford a limited range of pore size and interconnectivity that is essential for cellular proliferation and neotissue formation. To overcome these limitations, macroporous PEG‐DA hydrogels are prepared in this study using a combination of solvent‐induced phase separation (SIPS) and a fused salt template. PEG‐DA concentration in the organized fabrication solvent (20, 30, and 40 wt%) and average salt particle size (≈180, ≈270, and ≈460 μm) are varied and the resulting hydrated hydrogel morphology, swelling, mechanical properties, and degradation are characterized. These templated SIPS PEG‐DA hydrogels broaden PEG‐DA hydrogel properties and, in some cases, afford a series of compositions whose properties are decoupled.