University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

A numerical strategy for investigating the kinetic response of stimulus-responsive hydrogels

Dolbow, John E.; Fried, Eliot; Ji, Huidi

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/246

Description

Title
A numerical strategy for investigating the kinetic response of stimulus-responsive hydrogels
Author(s)
  • Dolbow, John E.
  • Fried, Eliot
  • Ji, Huidi
Issue Date
2004-06
Abstract
We present a strategy for obtaining numerical solutions to a system of nonlinear, coupled evolution equations describing volume transitions in stimulus-responsive hydrogels (SRHs). The theory underlying our sharp-interface model of phase transitions in SRHs is provided along with the assumptions leading to the specialized formulation that is the starting point for the numerical method. The discrete formulation is then developed with a hybrid extended finite-element/level-set method (XFE/LSM). Domain-integral methodologies are used consistently to extract interfacial quantities such as the mechanical driving traction, the jump in the normal component of the solute flux, and requisite geometric information. Several benchmark studies are provided to demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of the numerical strategy. We then investigate various features of SRH kinetics including the regimes of unstable and stable phase transitions, surface pattern formation, and bulk phase separation.
Publisher
Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (UIUC)
Series/Report Name or Number
TAM Reports 1050
ISSN
0073-5264
Type of Resource
text
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/246

Owning Collections

Technical Reports - Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (TAM) PRIMARY
TAM technical reports include manuscripts intended for publication, theses judged to have general interest, notes prepared for short courses, symposia compiled from outstanding undergraduate projects, and reports prepared for research-sponsoring agencies.