Surface mechanics of polyacrylamide hydrogels following wear
Atten, Michael Thomas
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/101233
Description
Title
Surface mechanics of polyacrylamide hydrogels following wear
Author(s)
Atten, Michael Thomas
Issue Date
2018-04-26
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Dunn, Alison C.
Department of Study
Mechanical Sci & Engineering
Discipline
Mechanical Engineering
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Level
Thesis
Keyword(s)
Polyacrylamide hydrogels
wear
surface mechanics
longitudinal wear
stiffness
regenerating surfaces
AFM
nanoindentation
Abstract
In this work, the changes in elasticity of synthetic hydrogel surfaces following deliberate abrasive surface wear are measured. These polyacrylamide hydrogels – cross-linked polymers consisting of 92% water by mass – undergo surface wear, and their surface elastic properties before and after wear are measured. Quasi-static nanoindentations are performed on the surface using a colloidal probe in an atomic force microscope (AFM), and the elastic modulus is computed from the region of the curves fitting a Hertzian contact regime. The results show that the surfaces are stiffer directly after wear. These changes are recoverable, and after several days of resting underwater, the hydrogel’s surface stiffness characteristics return to similar values as before any wear is applied. From this, it can be deduced that wear removes a soft, swollen surface layer and reveals a stiffer bulk. Surfaces can undergo further wear and re-swell successfully with every repetition of the experiment. This research in surface mechanics of hydrogels after applied surface wear is applicable to load-bearing hydrogel surfaces in the human body.
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