MULTI-FIELD BEHAVIOUR OF SMART GEL SYSTEMS
Cheuk Yu Lee (RSE)
MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURINGDATE: 2011-03-30
TIME: 14:00:00 - 14:30:00
LOCATION: Ian Ross Seminar Room
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ABSTRACT:
Gels are normally known as jelly-like materials which do not flow but possess solid-like properties. Smart gel materials are networks of molecules or monomers with cross-linked long chains. When hydrated, hydrogels can contain as much as 99% fluid by weight. These water-swollen gels can swell or shrink dramatically with small changes in environmental conditions such as temperature, pH, ionic strength, salt type, solvent, electric field, magnetic field, light or pressure. The high water content of these materials have given many successful applications for biological systems such as drug delivery devices, bioseparation, biosensors, artificial muscles, linings for artificial hearts, and actuators for adaptive structures. This project investigates swelling and shrinkage of smart gel systems due to the multi-field effects, by mathematical modelling and numerical simulations.
