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Effect of Hydration on Tensile Response of a Dual Cross-linked PVA Hydrogel

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Abstract

Background

Little is known about the effect of water content on the mechanical properties of dual cross-linked hydrogels.

Objective

To quantify the changes in the mechanical response and equilibrium modulus in a PVA hydrogel as a function of the hydration level.

Methods

A dual cross-linked hydrogel was tested in tension to a stretch of 1.3 at two stretch rates and in a stress relaxation test. The equilibrium modulus was calculated using the final relaxation stress value.

Results

The stiffness of the hydrogel increases significantly as the gel dries.

Conclusions

The equilibrium modulus is found to be linear with the hydration level and approximately 2 × stiffer at 60% hydration relative to 90%.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, 13699, USA

    R. Meacham

  2. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    M. Liu, J. Guo, A.T. Zehnder & C.-Y. Hui

Authors
  1. R. Meacham
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  2. M. Liu
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  3. J. Guo
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  4. A.T. Zehnder
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  5. C.-Y. Hui
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A.T. Zehnder.

Ethics declarations

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. CMMI-1537087. This work was also supported in part by the Cornell Center for Materials Research with funding from the Research Experience for Undergraduates program (DMR-1757420 and DMR-1719875).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Meacham, R., Liu, M., Guo, J. et al. Effect of Hydration on Tensile Response of a Dual Cross-linked PVA Hydrogel. Exp Mech 60, 1161–1165 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-020-00598-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-020-00598-1

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