Experimental and Data Analysis Workflow for Soft Matter Nanoindentation

Giuseppe Ciccone; Mariana Azevedo Gonzalez Oliva; Nelda Antonovaite; Ines L&#252;chtefeld; Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez; Massimo Vassalli

doi:10.3791/63401

Experimental and Data Analysis Workflow for Soft Matter Nanoindentation

JoVE Journal
Bioengineering

This content is Free Access.

JoVE Journal Bioengineering

Experimental and Data Analysis Workflow for Soft Matter Nanoindentation

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13:04 min

January 18, 2022

DOI: 10.3791/63401-v

Giuseppe Ciccone¹, Mariana Azevedo Gonzalez Oliva¹, Nelda Antonovaite², Ines Lüchtefeld³, Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez¹, Massimo Vassalli¹

¹Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment, James Watt School of Engineering,University of Glasgow, ²Optics 11 life, ³Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics,ETH Zürich

Overview

This protocol provides a comprehensive workflow for conducting nanoindentation experiments on soft materials, including hydrogels and cells. It details the steps for acquiring force spectroscopy data and introduces an open-source Python software for data analysis.

Key Study Components

Area of Science

Neuroscience
Biophysics
Material Science

Background

Nanoindentation is a technique used to measure mechanical properties of materials.
Hydrogels and cells are important for studying biological mechanics.
Force spectroscopy provides insights into material stiffness.
Open-source software enhances reproducibility in data analysis.

Purpose of Study

To measure the stiffness of hydrogels and cells accurately.
To provide a simplified method for obtaining force spectroscopy data.
To make data analysis accessible through open-source tools.

Methods Used

Calibration of the nanoindenter probe.
Step-by-step measurement of material stiffness.
Use of a commercially available nanoindenter.
Analysis of data using open-source Python software.

Main Results

Successful measurement of mechanical properties of soft materials.
Data acquisition similar to atomic force microscopy.
Reduction in complexity compared to traditional methods.
Broad applicability in studying healthy and diseased samples.

Conclusions

The protocol simplifies the process of nanoindentation for soft materials.
Open-source software facilitates reproducible data analysis.
This method is beneficial for researchers in various fields.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is nanoindentation?

Nanoindentation is a technique used to measure the mechanical properties of materials at the nanoscale.

How does this protocol benefit researchers?

It provides a simplified method for measuring stiffness and analyzing data reproducibly.

Is the software used for data analysis free?

Yes, the open-source software is free to download from GitHub.

What types of materials can be tested using this protocol?

The protocol is designed for hydrogels and biological cells.

Can this method be applied to diseased samples?

Yes, it is applicable for studying both healthy and diseased samples.

The protocol presents a complete workflow for soft material nanoindentation experiments, including hydrogels and cells. First, the experimental steps to acquire force spectroscopy data are detailed; then, the analysis of such data is detailed through a newly developed open-source Python software, which is free to download from GitHub.

This protocol shows a step-by-step guide to measure the stiffness of hydrogels and cells using a commercially available nanoindenter and also presents an open-source software to reproducibly analyze acquired data. The protocol allows us to obtain atomic force microscopy-like data, however, at a fraction of the complexity. So this protocol will be useful for scientists interested in studying mechanical properties of healthy and diseased samples, but also we believe it's going to be of broader applicability in the context of nanoindentation for soft materials.

After switching on the instrument and mounting the selected probe for the experiment, begin calibrating the probe. Click Initialize on the main software window. In the Calibration Menu that appears, enter the probe details in the input boxes.

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