University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Fabrication and mechanical characterization of liquid-in-solid elastomeric soft composites

Zhang, Bingyang

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ZHANG-THESIS-2016.pdf

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/90842

Description

Title
Fabrication and mechanical characterization of liquid-in-solid elastomeric soft composites
Author(s)
Zhang, Bingyang
Issue Date
2016-04-28
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Hutchens, Shelby B.
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
Date of Ingest
2016-07-07T20:35:23Z
Keyword(s)
  • liquid-in-solid composite
  • fabrication
  • mechanical characterization
  • stiffening
  • toughening
Abstract
As one of the emerging new composite materials, liquid-in-solid elastomer soft composites are of the current research interest for their enhanced mechanical properties and high biological application potentials. Despite established microscopic models for describing elastic behaviors of the two-phase material incorporating liquid-solid interfacial energy, how multiple liquid inclusions would affect the macroscopic mechanical properties of composites are not yet fully understood. In this thesis research, by selecting polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as the matrix material and glycerol as the liquid material, liquid-in-solid composites with polydisperse and monodisperse inclusion sizes are fabricated by using the simple mixing method and the coaxial microfluidic device (CMD), respectively. The stiffness and toughness of composites are characterized by using adapted basic testing methods. The effects of the volume fraction, size, size polydispersity, and interactions of liquid inclusions on the elastic modulus, general toughness, and fracture energy of composites are evaluated and quantified by relating experimental measurements with theoretical predictions. From the results, macroscopic softening of stiff-matrix composites (E ≥ ~150 kPa) with an increasing inclusion volume fraction, macroscopic stiffening of polydisperse composites with a decreasing average inclusion size, and macroscopic toughening of composites with dilute liquid inclusions (3- 15% volume fraction ) are observed. Furthermore, counter-predictive stiffening in monodisperse composites is found; the effect of inclusion interactions is investigated as an additional stiffening contributor other than liquid surface tension. In general, this thesis research provides theoretical and experimental bases for designing composite-like bio-materials, along with insights into the mechanics of composites.
Graduation Semester
2016-05
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/90842
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2016 Bingyang Zhang

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