Kumar, B.Y.S.Isloor, A.M.Mohan Kumar, G.C.2026-02-062019AIP Conference Proceedings, 2019, Vol.2057, , p. -0094243Xhttps://doi.org/10.1063/1.5085633https://idr.nitk.ac.in/handle/123456789/31102Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels have desirable characteristics for use as a soft tissue substitute. However, their low mechanical strength and biocompatibility hinder the wide range of biomedical application. Herein, hydroxyapatite blended PVA/HAp composite hydrogel was developed by freeze-thawing and annealing method. The microstructure and rheological properties such as storage and loss modulus are investigated. Samples showed a porous structure with interconnected porosity and HAp distributed uniformly in a PVA matrix. Further, the composite hydrogel showed favorable viscoelastic properties and is suitable for artificial articular cartilage replacement. © 2018 Author(s).