• Dielectric Elastomer Actuator (DEA)
• dynamic cell culture
• in-vitro intestinal model
• ionic conductors

Drug absorption is a complex transport process that involves the structure and the function of different intestinal tissues. Several in vitro models of the intestine have been developed in order to obtain a reliable, cheap and time saving method for the study of the absorption of different compounds. However those models only mimic partially the phenomena involved in this metabolic path, with a lack of information with respect to the real case.
This work describes a dynamic in-vitro model of the intestine based on an electroactive polymer actuator. This system aims at mimicking the structural properties of the intestinal barrier with a mechanical stretching system which replicates the peristaltic movement that takes place during digestion.
An annular dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA), enclosed in a double chamber system, is used as a compliant device to generate large biaxial strains and develop a stretchable substrate to apply periodical mechanical stimuli to a cultured monolayer of intestinal epithelial (Caco-2) cells in a biomimetic fashion.
In particular, I focused on the design, development and electromechanical characterization of an annular DEA using innovative Ionogels as compliant electrodes. The electrodes were characterized in terms of stretching performance and stability under cyclic actuation in a wet environment. Moreover an ad hoc GUI software was developed with Matlab® for the radial strain measurements.