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The Constitutive Response of Active Polymer Gels

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

S. P. Marra ,
K. T. Ramesh  and
A. S. Douglas
S. P. Marra
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering The Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland 21218
K. T. Ramesh
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering The Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland 21218
A. S. Douglas
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering The Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland 21218
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Abstract

Active polymer gels can achieve large, reversible deformations in response to environmental stimuli, such as the application of an electric field or a change in pH level. Consequently, great interest exists in using these gels as actuators and artificial muscles. The goal of this work is to characterize the mechanical properties of ionic polymer gels and to describe how these properties evolve as the gel actuates. Experimental results of uniaxial tests on poly(vinyl alcohol)-poly(acrylic acid) gels are presented for both acidic and basic environments. These materials are shown to be to be slightly viscoelastic and compressible and capable of large recoverable deformations. The gels also exhibit similar stress in response to mechanical deformation in both the acid and the base.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 600: Symposium FF – Electroactive Polymers , 1999 , 261
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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