仿生自修复水基润滑关节软骨及其自修复和摩擦机理研究

Developing self-healing, water-based lubricant and coatings is critical for preparing new types of artificial joints with prolonged service life. The objective of this project is to develop economic, biocompatible, shear thickening, 3D-printed tough polymer hydrogel material and coatings, based on novel biomimetic systems (inspired by articular cartilage), to significantly decrease the friction and abrasion at interfaces and allow higher sustainability during sliding for soft materials, to elucidate the intrinsic aqueous-lubrication mechanism at the nano-, micro- and macro-scale. The intermolecular forces, contact mechanics and hydrodynamic lubrication of the tough hydrogel will be systematically probed, with the self-healing mechanism and models being established. The above interactions will be theoretically modeled to correlate the lubrication performances of the obtained artificial articular cartilage layers with the hydration of polymer chains at interfaces. The proposed research addresses the enhancement of the strength of polymer hydrogels and associated friction reduction capability, and it contributes to the development of artificial human cartilage, soft robot and actuators for engineering applications.

开发具有自修复功能的水基润滑关节软骨材料以及涂层有助于制备新型人工关节并延长其使用寿命。本项目拟结合3D打印技术制备经济、具有良好生物相容性的仿生自修复、高强度、剪切增韧的水凝胶关节软骨及涂层，降低人工关节界面间的摩擦与磨损，延长软物质材料的使用寿命。系统研究该强韧水凝胶软骨的纳米接触力学、承载作用、液动润滑和组分间的相互作用力，初步建立水基润滑水凝胶软骨的自修复理论模型，重点研究水凝胶软骨材料的宏观-微观-纳观跨尺度摩擦行为与摩擦作用机理，深入理解高分子材料的水合效应在水基润滑中的摩擦作用机制，丰富和发展摩擦学设计理论。预期本项目的研究成果对于制备高强度的软体自修复材料有着重要指导作用，为设计新型人工关节、软体机器人、软体制动器等应用提供重要理论依据和技术支撑。

软物质材料的制备与应用对开发新型人工关节、软体机器人、软体制动器具有重要意义。项目以聚丙烯酰胺、聚二甲氧基硅氧烷等软材料为主要研究对象，通过引入超支化聚乙烯亚胺、六亚甲基二异氰酸酯、多元醇等组分，成功制备了几类机械性能可调节的，具有自修复、界面粘附、水基润滑特性的功能凝胶网络与高分子弹性体。作为软材料研究的工程应用实例,系统研究了凝胶在温度和应变传感方面的性能。开发了具有自修复功能的水基润滑涂层，通过流变、摩擦磨损试验研究了网络自修复、摩擦力、摩擦系数与高分子网络结构、化学组分以及摩擦参数的关系。重点研究了关节软骨等水基润滑体系在高-低速剪切突变过程中，水凝胶摩擦润滑行为的时间效应，建立了凝胶水基润滑作用的边界模型。项目取得的成果有助于丰富和发展摩擦学理论。在项目资助下，累计共发表同行评议的SCI学术论文15篇，申请并授权国家发明专利3项。