Reduction In Storage Modulus Research Articles

Oleic acid-induced changes in the dynamic viscoelastic behavior of poly(methyl methacrylate) polymer film

This study investigates the impact of oleic acid on the dynamic viscoelastic behavior of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) polymer films. By incorporating oleic acid as a plasticizer, we aim to enhance the ductility and reduce the brittleness of PMMA. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was employed to assess changes in viscoelastic properties, revealing significant improvements in the flexibility and energy dissipation capacity of the PMMA films. The addition of oleic acid resulted in a noticeable shift in the glass transition temperature and a reduction in storage modulus, indicating enhanced polymer chain mobility. Raman and infrared spectroscopy confirmed the successful integration of oleic acid, highlighting its interaction with PMMA at the molecular level. Our findings demonstrate that oleic acid is an effective plasticizer for PMMA, providing valuable insights into the design of flexible and durable polymer-based materials for various applications.

The influence of GNP on the mechanical and thermomechanical properties of epoxy adhesive: Pearson correlation matrix and heatmap application in data interpretation

AbstractThis article explores the impact of Graphene Nanoplatelet (GNP) reinforcement on the mechanical and thermomechanical properties of epoxy adhesive. The impact of GNPs on the structural adhesive largely depends on factors like dispersion stability and GNP concentration. Given the complexity of these interactions, it is imperative to obtain indicators for the degree of each interaction. In this study, Pearson correlation matrix and heatmaps analysis were used to analyze the relationship between various variables and the strength of the connection. The addition of GNP at various concentrations to the epoxy adhesive led to a reduction in storage modulus, loss modulus, and glass transition temperature, attributed to the agglomeration of GNP. In bulk specimens, the incorporation of GNP, regardless of its content, has decreased tensile stress up to 70.7% while increasing its fracture elongation up to 396.3%. Within joining specimens with GNP, specimens with 1.5 wt% GNP content showed the highest cohesive fracture mode and largest shear strength. Pearson correlation matrix and heatmaps have demonstrated very good accuracy in reflecting the experimental data. They offer a comprehensive assessment of the relationship between various variables while indicating the degree of influence each variable has on the properties of the adhesive and joining specimens.Highlights GNP effects in adhesive can be accurately analyzed with Pearson correlation matrix & heatmaps. Connections strength for various variables can be shown by Pearson correlation matrix & heatmaps. Pearson correlation matrix & heatmaps assess variable relationships comprehensively.

Effect of soy peptides with different hydrolysis degrees on the rheological, tribological, and textural properties of soy protein isolate gels.

This study was performed to examine the effect of two soy peptides addition with hydrolysis degrees of 90% and 30% (hydrolysis degree (DH)90, DH30) at various concentrations (1-10mg/mL) on soy protein isolate (SPI) gel behavior and pure SPI gel was set as control. SPI gels with adding peptides were prepared, and their rheological, textural, and tribological properties, as well as water-holding capacity, zeta potential, and particle size, were determined. During the rheological measurement, adding peptides reduced storage modulus (G') compared to the control, with larger particles formed. However, peptide addition could significantly reduce gelation time, showing a more significant effect with DH30. The gels' firmness, adhesiveness, and water-holding capacity decreased as peptide concentration increased. Syneresis was observed in gels with peptides, whereas the control sample showed no syneresis. Based on the rheological results, the shear stress in the control sample was higher than in the gels containing peptides indicating more resistance to shear. The gels with DH30 showed greater G' and G″ than DH90 at all studied concentrations. Nevertheless, there was an improvement in the lubrication behavior of SPI gels with peptide addition. DH30 showed a relatively more significant friction reduction than DH90, indicating their slightly better lubrication properties.

Influence of subsequent thermomechanical cycles on shape memory behavior of 4D printed PEKK

The current study identifies and investigates the shape memory response of poly ether ketone ketone (PEKK) for the first time. 4D printed PEKK are subjected to annealing, crystalline behavior, and shape memory studies under susquent thermomechanical cycles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed seamless bonding between the printed layers, confirming the suitability of the chosen printing parameters. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed higher Tg (161.20 °C) and Tm (339.03 °C). Shape fixity ratio (Rf) is observed to be lower in the higher cycles (∼10% lower in cycle 8 compared to cycle 1), while the shape recovery ratio (Rr) is noted to be decreasing in each cycle ( 20% decreased in cycle 8 compared to cycle 1) due to reduction in storage modulus. The 4D printed PEKK exhibited excellent shape memory properties as compared to PEEK, making them potential materials in automotive and aerospace applications.

Fabrication of rice bran protein - sodium alginate - calcium double cross-linked foam template for oleogel preparation

In this study, a flexible double-crosslinked rice bran protein (RBP) foam template was developed for oleogel preparation based on Maillard reaction and physical gelation. The Maillard reaction of RBP and sodium alginate (SA) was optimized based on foaming properties of the conjugates. The best foaming capability and foam stability were observed when RBP (50 mg/mL) and SA (30 mg/mL) were mixed at a ratio of 2:1, under ultrasonication at 320 W for 45 min. The cryogel was prepared from RBP-SA foam under freeze drying. The pore structure, density and oil affinity of RBP-SA cryogels were significantly enhanced compared to those of the RBP cryogel, leading to better oil absorption and oil holding capacity of the resultant oleogels. Calcium ion was further introduced into the conjugates to prepare the double-crosslinked foam template (RBP-SA-Ca2+). The prepared cryogel exhibited improved flexibility and oil holding capacity with reduced storage modulus, yield stress and compressive strength. In conclusion, the chemical cross-linking mainly affected the oil absorption capacity and oil holding capacity of RBP cryogel and oleogel, while the physical cross-linking mainly affected the mechanical properties of RBP cryogel. This study provided further insights into preparation of foam-templated oleogel with tunable performance and practical application.

Effects of natural wax types on the physicochemical properties of starch/gelatin edible films fabricated by extrusion blowing

To address the limitation of strong hydrophilicity of edible films, starch/gelatin (S/G) films incorporated with natural waxes (beeswax (BW), candelilla wax (CL), and carnauba wax (CB)) were fabricated by extrusion blowing. Rheological analysis demonstrated that the incorporation of natural waxes reduced storage modulus and complex viscosity of S/G blends. BW and CL weakened molecular interactions among film components, whereas CB did not. CB exhibited the strongest crystalline behavior after film formation. The degree of starch gelatinization and water vapor barrier property of films depended on wax type. The presence of waxes increased the water resistance and surface hydrophobicity of the films. However, CL and BW addition decreased the tensile strength of films. The highest water contact angle (102.6°), strongest thermal stability, and lowest water vapor permeability were found in S/G-BW film, which could be the optimal choice to produce highly hydrophobic edible films.

Fast-Forming Dissolvable Redox-Responsive Hydrogels: Exploiting the Orthogonality of Thiol–Maleimide and Thiol–Disulfide Exchange Chemistry

Fast-forming yet easily dissolvable hydrogels (HGs) have potential applications in wound healing, burn incidences, and delivery of therapeutic agents. Herein, a combination of a thiol–maleimide conjugation and thiol–disulfide exchange reaction is employed to fabricate fast-forming HGs which rapidly dissolve upon exposure to dithiothreitol (DTT), a nontoxic thiol-containing hydrophilic molecule. In particular, maleimide disulfide-terminated telechelic linear poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) polymer and PEG-based tetrathiol macromonomers are employed as gel precursors, which upon mixing yield HGs within a minute. The selectivity of the thiol–maleimide conjugation in the presence of a disulfide linkage was established through 1H NMR spectroscopy and Ellman’s test. Rapid degradation of HGs in the presence of thiol-containing solution was evident from the reduction in storage modulus. HGs encapsulated with fluorescent dye-labeled dextran polymers and bovine serum albumin were fabricated, and their cargo release was investigated under passive and active conditions upon exposure to DTT. One can envision that the rapid gelation and fast on-demand dissolution under relatively benign conditions would make these polymeric materials attractive for a range of biomedical applications.

Olive oil-derived degradable polyurethanes for bone tissue regeneration

Engineering biomaterials for tissue regeneration with an appropriate degradation rate that is faster than the widely-used slow degrading polyesters and rapidly degrading surface-eroding polymers is challenging. Polyurethanes exhibit the desired combination of physico-mechanical properties along with good biocompatibility and thus find widespread use in the clinic. Clinically, polyurethanes are used in catheters, tubing, patches, coating of pacemaker leads, and left ventricular assisted devices. In this study, two different polyurethanes were synthesized from olive oil, optionally incorporating polyethylene glycol (PEG). The presence of degradable ester groups in the monomers derived from oil imparts degradability to the synthesized polyurethanes. The hydrophilicity and thus degradability of polyurethanes were improved by incorporating PEG into the polymer network. The synthesized polymers were analyzed through physical, mechanical, and thermal characterization. The reduction in storage modulus from 38.7 to 3.7 MPa was observed after incorporating PEG. In 63 days, neat oil-based polyurethane degraded 3.3%, whereas PEG-containing polyurethane showed 10.8% mass loss. The synthesized polymers can be fabricated into a variety of two-dimensional substrates and three-dimensional scaffolds by compression molding and particulate leaching techniques. The prepared polyurethanes showed good cytocompatibility in vitro and efficiently supported the osteogenic differentiation of pre-osteoblasts. The incorporation of PEG adversely affected osteogenic differentiation. Thus, these olive oil-based polyurethanes are shown to be promising biomaterials for developing scaffolds with tunable degradation and mechanical properties for tissue regeneration.

Bio-composites from spent hen derived lipids grafted on CNC and reinforced with nanoclay

A novel cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)-grafted macromonomer containing both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids was synthesized from spent hen lipids, which was further homopolymerized and copolymerized with styrene and in-situ nano-reinforced into nanocomposites. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of CNC-grafting and nanoclay as filler at different ratios on the thermal, mechanical and water absorption behavior of the developed composites. The chemical grafting on CNC, its polymerization and effect of nanofiller were characterized and investigated by various analytical techniques. The results revealed improved thermal stability for all nanocomposites with higher onset of degradation temperature and more char production for 5% and 10% nanoclay composites, while increased tensile strength was obtained for all nanoclay composites. However, reduced storage modulus and higher moisture uptake was observed for nanocomposites compared to the control polymer composite, which can be attributed to poor interfacial adhesion between nanofiller and matrices, and hydrophilic nature of nanofillers, respectively.

Combining Materials Obtained by 3D-Printing and Electrospinning from Commercial Polylactide Filament to Produce Biocompatible Composites

The design of scaffolds to reach similar three-dimensional structures mimicking the natural and fibrous environment of some cells is a challenge for tissue engineering, and 3D-printing and electrospinning highlights from other techniques in the production of scaffolds. The former is a well-known additive manufacturing technique devoted to the production of custom-made structures with mechanical properties similar to tissues and bones found in the human body, but lacks the resolution to produce small and interconnected structures. The latter is a well-studied technique to produce materials possessing a fibrillar structure, having the advantage of producing materials with tuned composition compared with a 3D-print. Taking the advantage that commercial 3D-printers work with polylactide (PLA) based filaments, a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, in this work we produce PLA-based composites by blending materials obtained by 3D-printing and electrospinning. Porous PLA fibers have been obtained by the electrospinning of recovered PLA from 3D-printer filaments, tuning the mechanical properties by blending PLA with small amounts of polyethylene glycol and hydroxyapatite. A composite has been obtained by blending two layers of 3D-printed pieces with a central mat of PLA fibers. The composite presented a reduced storage modulus as compared with a single 3D-print piece and possessing similar mechanical properties to bone tissues. Furthermore, the biocompatibility of the composites is assessed by a simulated body fluid assay and by culturing composites with 3T3 fibroblasts. We observed that all these composites induce the growing and attaching of fibroblast over the surface of a 3D-printed layer and in the fibrous layer, showing the potential of commercial 3D-printers and filaments to produce scaffolds to be used in bone tissue engineering.

Influence of biobased plasticizers on 3D printed polylactic acid composites filled with sustainable biofiller

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is extensively explored in scientific research and engineering applications; however, little is known about the feasibility of 3D printing multi-material composites. This paper investigates the effect of three different plasticizers including epoxidized soybean oil (ESO), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and glycerol on mechanical and thermal properties of PLA filled with distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) filaments for 3D printing. The composite filaments were extruded using a twin-screw extruder equipped with a collector to achieve uniform diameter. The eco-friendly PLA-DDGS-plasticizer based filaments were then used to print dog-bone and flexural samples. The results showed that the PLA-DDGS blends plasticized with ESO have improved elongation at break compared to pure PLA and those plasticized with glycerol and PEG. These results were evidenced by SEM micrographs showing PLA-plasticizers phase separations and formation of voids in fracture surface of PLA-DDGS plasticized by PEG and glycerol. DMA and FT-IR measurements confirmed the compatibility between PLA and ESO. PLA-DDGS blend containing 10 % ESO exhibited 6 % higher storage modulus in comparison with PLA samples, while the addition of 12.5 % ESO reduced storage modulus by 27 %. Storage modulus in 3D printed samples plasticized by PEG and glycerol showed a reduction of 32 % and 89 %, respectively. The same trend was observed in the mechanical properties of 3D printed composite filaments. Among all samples, PLA-DDGS blends plasticized by 15 % ESO exhibited higher elongation at the break while a significant reduction of 21 % was observed in ultimate tensile strength. The study confirmed that the types and amounts of plasticizer dictates the morphology and mechanical properties of PLA-DDGS composite.

Characterization of 3D Printing on Jute Fabrics.

This work evaluates the feasibility to manufacture polylactic acid (PLA) composites using jute fiber fabrics. For characterization, PLA-fused filament was successfully deposed onto jute fabrics to print dog-bone tensile specimens (Type I specimen from ASTM D638). The jute fabrics were chemically modified, treated with flame retardant additives, and sprayed with aerosol adhesive to improve the mechanical properties of PLA/Jute fabric composites. The elastic modulus and the strength of PLA were higher than PLA composites, and the plastic deformation of the PLA composites was slightly lower than PLA. Tomography scans revealed the fabrics were well oriented and some adherence between jute fabrics and PLA. Viscoelastic properties of PLA composites resulted in the reduction in storage modulus and the reduction in intensity in the damping factor attributed to segmental motions with no variations in the glass transition temperature. Flame retardant and spray adhesive on jute fabrics promoted better response to time of burning than PLA and PLA with modified fibers. The results presented in this work lead to the need for a more detailed investigation of the effect of plant fiber fabrics as reinforcement of 3D printed objects for industrial applications.

Investigation of the effect of water absorption on thermomechanical and viscoelastic properties of flax‐hemp‐reinforced hybrid composite

AbstractThe recent development of natural fiber‐reinforced polymer composites have shown innumerable economic and environmental benefits for a vast array of engineering applications. It is quintessential to investigate the effect of water absorption on the composites that remain in the water for a maximum of their intended service period. This study is an effort in this direction that investigates the effect of water absorption on thermo‐mechanical properties of flax‐hemp‐reinforced epoxy composites fabricated using compression hand layup technique with different weight fraction of fiber. The fabricated composites have been characterized physically (density and water absorption), thermo‐mechanically (tensile, flexural, thermal conductivity, and dynamical mechanical analysis), and morphologically (scanning electron microscopy [SEM]). The analysis revealed that hemp‐reinforced composites (S1) had the highest water absorption capabilities in comparison to the flax‐reinforced composites (S5). Higher water absorption capability had an adverse effect on the mechanical properties of fabricated composites. However, hybrid composites (S2, S3, and S4) reported better performance with regard to S1. The increased water content, however, increased the thermal conductivity of composites and maximum has been revealed for S1 (0.82 W/mK) and minimum for S5 (0.48 W/mK). The water molecules showed detrimental effects on the viscoelastic properties and revealed S3 have better interlocking bond with the lowest reduction in storage modulus (12%) and glass transition temperature (4°C) in comparison to S1 (30%) under wet conditions. A comparative analysis of the thermo‐mechanical properties was also made for developed composites under dry, saturated, and re‐dried conditions. The SEM has been used to characterize the morphological and fracture behavior of the fabricated composites under the influence of water uptake. The effects of water molecules on the hygrothermal aging index and diffusion co‐efficient have also been discussed. Overall, the hybridization of flax with hemp fiber showed better results over the hemp fiber‐reinforced composites (S1).

Addition of lactoferrin and substance P in a chitin/PLGA-CaSO4 hydrogel for regeneration of calvarial bone defects

Calcium-based injectable hydrogels with various bioactive active molecules possess a great potential for bone regeneration. Herein, we have synthesized a chitin-PLGA-calcium sulfate hydrogel (CSG) containing bioactive molecules - lactoferrin (LF) and substance P (SP). SEM and XRD analysis revealed that CS crystal growth was altered with the addition of LF. Rheological measurements indicated that the injectability of the hydrogels was maintained after the addition of LF, however, there was a reduction in storage modulus after LF addition. The addition of LF increased stem cell proliferation whereas, SP enhanced the cell migration. Osteogenic gene expression revealed that LF concentration at 25 μg/mg of CSG was optimal for a favourable outcome. To this optimized LF containing CSG, SP was incorporated and 0.05 μg/mg was found to be most effective (CSG-L3S2) in vitro studies. Further, the μ-CT and histological studies confirmed that CSG-L3S2 showed enhanced bone regeneration compared to the controls in critical-sized calvarial defect of mice. Thus the results indicate that a combination of the chemotactic agent (SP), pleiotropic growth protein (LF), and CS in the chitin-PLGA hydrogel could be a promising approach for non-load bearing bone defects.

Designing Self-Sustainable Icephobic Layer by Introducing a Lubricating Un-Freezable Water Hydrogel from Sodium Polyacrylate on the Polyolefin Surface

A convenient, environment-friendly, and cost-effective method to keep anti-icing for a long time was highly desirable. Slippery lubricant layers were regarded to be effective and promising for anti-icing on different surfaces, but the drought-out of lubricants and the possible detriments to the environment were inevitable. By combining super-high molecular weight sodium polyacrylate (H-PAAS) with polyolefin through a one-pot method, a self-sustainable lubricating layer with extremely low ice adhesion of un-freezable water hydrogel was achieved at subzero conditions. The lubricant hydrogel layer could auto-spread and cover the surface of polyolefin after encountering supercooled water, frost, or ice. Due to the reduction of storage modulus in the interface, the ice adhesion of the specimen surfaces was far below 20 kPa, varying from 5.13 kPa to 18.95 kPa. Furthermore, the surfaces could preserve the fairly low adhesion after icing/de-icing cycles for over 15 times and thus exhibited sustainable durability. More importantly, this method could be introducing to various polymers and is of great promise for practical applications.

Improved viability of Lactobacillus plantarum embedded in whey protein concentrate/pullulan/trehalose hydrogel during freeze drying

In this study, trehalose (TRE) was added to prepare whey protein concentrate (WPC)/pullulan (PUL)/TRE hydrogel and the hydrogel was used as the wall material to improve the viability of encapsulated L. plantarum during freeze drying and storage. The optimum conditions were 5.0 % TRE concentration and 1:4 (v:v) of the ratio of L. plantarum suspension to the hydrogel. Under these conditions, the survival rates of L. plantarum were 94.36 ± 1.06 % after freeze drying and 97.02 ± 0.30 % after storage for 240 d at 4 °C. Interactions and rheological properties of WPC/PUL/TRE hydrogel were also studied. The results showed TRE reduced storage modulus (G′) of the hydrogel and weakened hydrophobic interactions, disulfide and hydrogen bonds between proteins and polysaccharides, which was not conducive to hydrogel formation. In addition, the excellent water-holding capacity of WPC/PUL/TRE hydrogel was found by the drying kinetic experiment.

Fabrication of micro-porous hyaluronic acid hydrogels through salt leaching

Development of physiologically relevant culture platforms for studying cell behavior has been of particular interest in tissue engineering as well as in development of in vitro disease models. Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan found in the extracellular matrix, derivatives of which are commonly used to create three-dimensional biomimetic hydrogel scaffolds for the study of cell behavior in vitro. Herein, we report the fabrication of micro-porous hyaluronic acid hydrogels using a simple salt leaching technique. Porogens, specifically, salt particles of different sizes (i.e., <63 µm, 63–106 µm, 106–250 µm in diameter), were utilized to obtain a range of porous structures. The microstructure of the hydrogels was characterized through scanning electron microscopy, and rheological and swelling studies were performed to further evaluate morphological and mechanical properties. Analysis of these studies indicated that an increase in pore area corresponded to a larger porogen size, whereas porogen size had no significant effect on storage modulus or water absorption. However, porous hydrogels exhibited a greater degree of swelling and reduced storage modulus compared to nonporous hydrogels. In particular, the largest particle size of 106–250 µm resulted in a swelling ratio of 44.6 ± 2.28 and storage modulus of 54 ± 4.97 Pa versus a swelling ratio of 24.3 ± 2.30 and storage modulus of 402 ± 209 Pa noted for nonporous hyaluronic acid hydrogels, respectively. No significant difference in degradation of hydrogels was observed at later time points; however, hydrogels with the largest pore area degraded to a greater extent initially. Assessment of cellular compatibility showed no evidence of cytotoxicity for all hydrogel conditions tested. Such a system, incorporating micron-level porosity, could provide a useful tool for studying cell–matrix interactions in a physiologically relevant setting.

Eco-efficient rheological improvement of heavy crude oil using lactam based ionic liquids at high temperature high pressure condition

Heavy crude oil (HCO) is still possessing concrete challenges due to its ineffective flowing characteristics. Asphaltenes and resins are the complex fractions of heavy oil, possessing relatively high polar constituents of heteroatoms, which tend to aggregate and flocculate each other, leading to precipitation and flow blockage. Consequently, this renders serious problems in several sections of the oil industry, such as production, transportation, processing, separation, and refinery, etc. Thermal and dilutions are the traditional methods that industry uses for heavy oil treatments, however, they are found to be environmentally hazardous and economically non-viable for large-scale applications. This study finds the possible alternative with the use of green ionic liquids (ILs). In this research, we have studied six different lactams based ILs on the heavy oil’s viscosity reduction and for the possible viscoelasticity alteration for a wider range of temperatures (298.15–373.15 K) and pressures (0.1–10 MPa). A sequence of rheological studies was performed on HCO with and without ILs, such as shear rheology, yield stress, viscoelastic moduli, and the effect of different ILs on the HCO’s rheological phenomena was analyzed. The reduction of HCO’s viscosity was noticed for about 20–30% with a minor quantity (0.5 wt/v%) of ILs. Consecutively, the viscoelastic characteristics of the oil sample were also studied with ILs and observed a reduction in storage modulus and crossover point than the neat system. Additionally, microscopic investigation of the oil sample was studied with ILs, and we were able to graphically witness the tendency of the IL to break the oil’s asphaltene/resin structure.

Compatibilization and toughness modification of linear aliphatic epoxy compound on paving epoxy asphalt

Epoxy asphalt (EA), which is usually prepared by diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), curing agent and asphalt, is a kind of high-performance pavement material in highway construction. However, because of rigid molecular structure of DGEBA, poor compatibility with asphalt and high cross-linking density of three-dimensional network, cured EA usually has high strength but poor toughness especially at low temperature. In order to solve the problem of insufficient toughness of EA below glass-transition temperature (Tg) and eliminate the potential brittle fracture of EA mixture, linear aliphatic epoxy compounds, which have low viscosity, good molecular flexibility, similar solubility parameter and polarity with asphalt or DGEBA resin, can be used as phase structure controller and toughner to modify EA. By introducing a little of linear aliphatic epoxy compound, such as 1, 4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE) or 1, 6-hexanediol diglycidyl ether (HDDGE), not only the viscosity of EA could be significantly decreased during the curing process, but also the phase compatibility of EA could be improved. An obvious reduction in storage modulus (E′) at low temperature and decreased Tg also prove that BDDGE or HDDGE modified EA have better toughness than neat EA at low temperature. The optimum amount of linear aliphatic epoxy compound based on its mixture with DGEBA should be 10–15 wt%.

Magnetic resonance elastography quantification of the solid-to-fluid transition of liver tissue due to decellularization

Maintenance of tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) and its biomechanical properties for tissue engineering is one of the substantial challenges in the field of decellularization and recellularization. Preservation of the organ-specific biomatrix is crucial for successful recellularization to support cell survival, proliferation, and functionality. However, understanding ECM properties with and without its inhabiting cells as well as the transition between the two states lacks appropriate test methods capable of quantifying bulk viscoelastic parameters in soft tissues.We used compact magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) with 400, 500, and 600 Hz driving frequency to investigate rat liver specimens for quantification of viscoelastic property changes resulting from decellularization. Tissue structures in native and decellularized livers were characterized by collagen and elastin quantification, histological analysis, and scanning electron microscopy.Decellularization did not affect the integrity of microanatomy and structural composition of liver ECM but was found to be associated with increases in the relative amounts of collagen by 83-fold (37.4 ± 17.5 vs. 0.5 ± 0.01 μg/mg, p = 0.0002) and elastin by approx. 3-fold (404.1 ± 139.6 vs. 151.0 ± 132.3 μg/mg, p = 0.0046). Decellularization reduced storage modulus by approx. 9-fold (from 4.9 ± 0.8 kPa to 0.5 ± 0.5 kPa, p < 0.0001) and loss modulus by approx. 7-fold (3.6 kPa to 0.5 kPa, p < 0.0001), indicating a marked loss of global tissue rigidity as well as a property shift from solid towards more fluid tissue behavior (p = 0.0097).Our results suggest that the rigidity of liver tissue is largely determined by cellular components, which are replaced by fluid-filled spaces when cells are removed. This leads to an overall increase in tissue fluidity and a viscous drag within the relatively sparse remaining ECM. Compact MRE is an excellent tool for quantifying the mechanical properties of decellularized biological tissue and a promising candidate for useful applications in tissue engineering.