Surface mechanics of polyacrylamide hydrogels following wear

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.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2018

Author dc:creator

• Atten, Michael Thomas

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dunn, Alison C.

• Polyacrylamide hydrogels
• wear
• surface mechanics
• longitudinal wear
• stiffness
• regenerating surfaces
• AFM
• nanoindentation

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2018 Michael Atten

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/101233

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/101233