Introduction to Artificial Blood − Rheological Characterization

Hemodynamic flow models used in cardiovascular applications often rely on data obtained from optical tracing experiments such as Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). Typically, a single-phase glycerin/water substitute is used to visualize the simplified blood flow. These limits the accuracy of the experimental data in terms of flow properties. However, to overcome these limitations, a multiphase blood substitute for PIV measurements has been introduced. The substitute uses hydrogel microparticles (beads) made of poly-sodiumarcylate-co-arcylamide P(SA-Am). This talk gives a short introduction into the fabrication and characterization of these artificial erythrocytes, focusing on the rheological and tribological characterization.