PCL scaffolds were embedded in 5%, 10%, and 15% polyacrylamide, as well
as in pHEMA. For the polyacrylamide, a 30% acrylamide + bis-acrylamide solution
(37.5:1 ratio, BIO-RAD) was diluted in phosphate-buffered-saline (PBS) and
polymerized using 0.5% ammonium persulfate (APS, 10% w/v solution,
Sigma-Aldrich) as initiator and 0.05% N,N,N′,N′-tertramethylethylenediamine
(TEMED, Sigma-Aldrich) as a catalyst. To test the effect of the mesh size,
acrylamide powder (BIO-RAD) and bis-acrylamide powder (Sigma-Aldrich) were
diluted in PBS and polymerized with APS and TEMED. A solution of 65%
2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (Sigma-Aldrich) and 35% deionized water was
polymerized using 0.5% APS (Sigma-Aldrich) as an initiator and 0.5% TEMED a
catalyst. All percentages are stated in wt% of the total volume. The
hydrogel–fiber composites were all 26 mm in diameter and 1 mm in height.
as in pHEMA. For the polyacrylamide, a 30% acrylamide + bis-acrylamide solution
(37.5:1 ratio, BIO-RAD) was diluted in phosphate-buffered-saline (PBS) and
polymerized using 0.5% ammonium persulfate (APS, 10% w/v solution,
Sigma-Aldrich) as initiator and 0.05% N,N,N′,N′-tertramethylethylenediamine
(TEMED, Sigma-Aldrich) as a catalyst. To test the effect of the mesh size,
acrylamide powder (BIO-RAD) and bis-acrylamide powder (Sigma-Aldrich) were
diluted in PBS and polymerized with APS and TEMED. A solution of 65%
2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (Sigma-Aldrich) and 35% deionized water was
polymerized using 0.5% APS (Sigma-Aldrich) as an initiator and 0.5% TEMED a
catalyst. All percentages are stated in wt% of the total volume. The
hydrogel–fiber composites were all 26 mm in diameter and 1 mm in height.