Micromechanical properties of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel microspheres determined using a simple method

- A simple method was developed to study micromechanical properties of hydrogel microspheres.
- Force-deformation data of PNIPAM hydrogel microspheres fitted well with Hertz theory.
- Compositions of PNIPAM microspheres significantly affected the micromechanical properties.
- Microsphere with larger thermo-responsive volume change had lower modulus of elasticity.
- Moduli of elasticity of PNIPAM microspheres at 37 °C was much larger than that at 25 °C.