UMass Amherst Scientist Wins $475,000 Grant to Study Polymer Hydrogels, Create Materials for Boston Museum of Science

March 20, 2008

Contact:

Ryan Hayward 413/577-1317

AMHERST, Mass. – Ryan Hayward of the University of Massachusetts Amherst has received a five-year, $475,000 CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation to conduct research on hydrogels, materials that can absorb hundreds of times their weight in water and undergo huge changes in volume.

Research will be translated into educational modules for students in grades K-12 in cooperation with the Boston Museum of Science. Modules will be available to teachers through a database and be used in traveling workshops through the museum’s outreach program. As part of the grant, Hayward, a professor of polymer science and engineering, will also develop a seminar focused on helping graduate students develop effective teaching strategies.

While most people are familiar with commercial uses for hydrogels – everything from superabsorbent diapers and gelatin in their food to water crystals used by gardeners – they are also serious business for researchers growing stem cells, creating artificial muscles or treating cancer, since they can be made to mimic the unique qualities of human tissue.

“Hydrogels can be 99 percent or more water, and are like sponges that can change their volume drastically by soaking up or expelling water,” says Hayward. “Now imagine adding water to a dry sponge that is attached on one side to a solid surface like a Petri dish or an artificial joint. As the material swells and takes on water, the unattached surface can buckle and fold into structures we call creases.”

This phenomenon has been observed since the mid-1800s on photographic plates coated with a layer of gelatin and silver halide crystals, but the process remains poorly understood. Hayward’s research will develop a thorough understanding of when and why creases form in hydrogels made of many different materials.

According to Hayward, creasing is both a blessing and a curse. “This can be a real problem in hydrogels used in biomaterials, for example to lubricate the surfaces of artificial joints or as substrates for cell culture. On the other hand, creasing could also be used to create “smart surfaces” with properties that can be dramatically changed in response to environmental stimuli.

“If we can learn how to control this process, we can take advantage of it, for example to make biomaterials that deliver medication on demand,” says Hayward.

National Science Foundation CAREER grants are awarded to support the early career development activities of those teacher-scholars who most effectively integrate research and teaching.

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