title: Pattern formation and shape changes in self-oscillating polymer gels.
abstract: We developed an efficient model for responsive gels that captures large-scale, two-dimensional (2D) deformations and chemical reactions within a swollen polymer network. The 2D calculations allowed us to probe not only volume changes but also changes in sample shape. By focusing on gels undergoing the oscillatory Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction, we observed traveling waves of local swelling that form a rich variety of dynamic patterns and give rise to distinctive oscillations in the gel's shape. The observed patterns depend critically on the gel's dimensions. The approach provides a useful computational tool for probing the dynamics of chemomechanical processes and uncovering morphological transformations in responsive gels.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors.forename: Victor V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Yashin
authors.forename: Anna C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Balazs