Mancebo, NuriaGonzález Rubio, RamónOrtega Gómez, FranciscoCarbone, CarloGuzmán Solís, EduardoMartínez Pedrero, FernandoRubio, Miguel Ángel2024-10-222024-10-222024Mancebo N, Rubio RG, Ortega F, Carbone C, Guzmán E, Martínez-Pedrero F, Rubio MA. Diffusion Wave Spectroscopy Microrheological Characterization of Gelling Agarose Solutions. Polymers. 2024; 16(18):2618. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16182618https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16182618https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/109190This work investigated the gelation kinetics and mechanical properties of agarose hydrogels studied at different concentrations (in the range 1–5 g/L) and temperatures. Rheological measurements were performed by diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS) using polystyrene and titanium dioxide particles as probes. The study emphasized the influence of gelation kinetics on the mechanical behavior of the hydrogels. The results showed that the gel properties were closely related to the thermal history and aging time of the samples. The insights gained from this study are critical for optimizing the performance of agarose hydrogels in specific applications and highlight the importance of controlling the concentration and thermal conditions during hydrogel preparation.engAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/journal articlehttps://doi.org/10.3390/polym16182618https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/16/18/2618open access544AgaroseDiffuse wave spectroscopyGelationMicrorheologyQuímica física (Química)2307 Química Física