Mechanical properties of active polyacrylonitrile gels

Steven P. Marra; Kaliat T. Ramesh; Andrew S. Douglas

doi:10.1117/12.349681

28 May 1999 Mechanical properties of active polyacrylonitrile gels

Steven P. Marra, Kaliat T. Ramesh, Andrew S. Douglas

Proceedings Volume 3669, Smart Structures and Materials 1999: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.349681
Event: 1999 Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, 1999, Newport Beach, CA, United States

Abstract

The ability of some polymeric gels to shrink and swell with changes in their environment makes them of interest in many applications such as artificial muscles and drug delivery systems. While much work has been done to study the behavior and properties of these gels, little information is available regarding the full constitutive description of the mechanical and actuation properties. This work is focused on developing constitutive descriptions of the mechanical properties of such gels, and to determine how these properties change due to changes in the environment. Since these gels can undergo finite elastic deformations, uniaxial tests do not provide sufficient property information and a combination of loading conditions must be used. A biaxial testing system has been developed to test thin sheets of these films, and includes the ability to monitor and change the environmental conditions around the specimen. Initial tests were performed on latex to determine the quality of the testing apparatus. Preliminary results on a polyacrylonitrile gel are presented.

Citation Download Citation

Steven P. Marra, Kaliat T. Ramesh, and Andrew S. Douglas "Mechanical properties of active polyacrylonitrile gels", Proc. SPIE 3669, Smart Structures and Materials 1999: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices, (28 May 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.349681

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