Modelling and Characterization of Soft and Supersoft Materials

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soft and supersoft materials undergo large deformations at relatively low stresses and recover their initial shape upon removal of the load. Underlying flexible long chain molecules contribute to their extraordinary elastic behavior. Over the years, numerous phenomenological and micromechanical models have been developed to capture their complex mechanical behavior. Thus, the aim of this Collection is to serve as a balanced, informative, and critical framework summarizing the latest breakthroughs in the field of rubbers, elastomers, hydrogels, and other soft and supersoft materials. This Topic includes numerical and experimental studies of:

• Rubber composites;
• Hydrogels;
• Soft materials;
• Structure and properties relationship;
• Advanced rubbery materials;
• Tissue engineering;
• Bioprinting.

Dr. Aleksander Czekanski
Dr. Cuiying Jian
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Applied Sciences applsci	2.5	5.3	2011	17.8 Days	CHF 2400
Gels gels	5.0	4.7	2015	10.9 Days	CHF 2100
Materials materials	3.1	5.8	2008	15.5 Days	CHF 2600
Molecules molecules	4.2	7.4	1996	15.1 Days	CHF 2700
Nanomaterials nanomaterials	4.4	8.5	2010	13.8 Days	CHF 2900

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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15 pages, 2126 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

A Generic Model to Assess the Efficiency Analysis of Cellular Foams

by Massimiliano Avalle

Materials 2024, 17(3), 746; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17030746 - 4 Feb 2024

Viewed by 916

Abstract

One of the main types of uses of cellular materials is for energy absorption and dissipation in applications, such as safety and packaging, to protect people and goods during impact situations. In such cases, the use of cellular materials is justified by their [...] Read more.

One of the main types of uses of cellular materials is for energy absorption and dissipation in applications, such as safety and packaging, to protect people and goods during impact situations. In such cases, the use of cellular materials is justified by their capacity to largely deform under limited loads. This is often achieved, alone or within energy absorbing structures, with the additional advantage of cheap components that are relatively simple to manufacture and assemble. As in most engineering applications, weight reduction is sought after and, as in the case of other materials, this objective can be attained by optimizing the use of the material. Optimization of a cellular material for energy absorption means obtaining an optimal mechanical characteristic that can be obtained by properly designing it in terms of the type of base material and cell properties. Cell properties are mainly related to density and their optimal selection can be made by means of energy criteria. The aim of the present paper is to discuss such optimality criteria based on what are termed efficiency diagrams to produce an effective design tool. Additionally, based on empiric observations on the behavior of several classes of polymeric foams, a simplified selection method is proposed to hasten the selection criteria. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Modelling and Characterization of Soft and Supersoft Materials)

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16 pages, 2336 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Photoactive Yellow Protein Adsorption at Hydrated Polyethyleneimine and Poly-l-Glutamic Acid Interfaces

by Szilvia Krekic, Mark Mero, Michel Kuhl, Kannan Balasubramanian, András Dér and Zsuzsanna Heiner

Molecules 2023, 28(10), 4077; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28104077 - 13 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1543

Abstract

Chiral and achiral vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy was performed in the 1400–1700 and 2800–3800 cm⁻¹ range to study the interfacial structure of photoactive yellow protein (PYP) adsorbed on polyethyleneimine (PEI) and poly-l-glutamic acid (PGA) surfaces. Nanometer-thick polyelectrolyte layers served [...] Read more.

Chiral and achiral vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy was performed in the 1400–1700 and 2800–3800 cm⁻¹ range to study the interfacial structure of photoactive yellow protein (PYP) adsorbed on polyethyleneimine (PEI) and poly-l-glutamic acid (PGA) surfaces. Nanometer-thick polyelectrolyte layers served as the substrate for PYP adsorption, with 6.5-pair layers providing the most homogeneous surfaces. When the topmost material was PGA, it acquired a random coil structure with a small number of β₂-fibrils. Upon adsorption on oppositely charged surfaces, PYP yielded similar achiral spectra. However, the VSFG signal intensity increased for PGA surfaces with a concomitant redshift of the chiral C^α-H and N–H stretching bands, suggesting increased adsorption for PGA compared to PEI. At low wavenumbers, both the backbone and the side chains of PYP induced drastic changes to all measured chiral and achiral VSFG spectra. Decreasing ambient humidity led to the loss of tertiary structure with a re-orientation of α-helixes, evidenced by a strongly blue-shifted chiral amide I band of the β-sheet structure with a shoulder at 1654 cm⁻¹. Our observations indicate that chiral VSFG spectroscopy is not only capable of determining the main type of secondary structure of PYP, i.e., β-scaffold, but is also sensitive to tertiary protein structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Modelling and Characterization of Soft and Supersoft Materials)

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14 pages, 5948 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Hyperelastic Material Parameters of Elastomers by Reverse Engineering Approach

by Burak Yenigun, Elli Gkouti, Gabriele Barbaraci and Aleksander Czekanski

Materials 2022, 15(24), 8810; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15248810 - 9 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2479

Abstract

Simulating the mechanical behavior of rubbers is widely performed with hyperelastic material models by determining their parameters. Traditionally, several loading modes, namely uniaxial tensile, planar equibiaxial, and volumetric, are considered to identify hyperelastic material models. This procedure is mainly used to determine hyperelastic [...] Read more.

Simulating the mechanical behavior of rubbers is widely performed with hyperelastic material models by determining their parameters. Traditionally, several loading modes, namely uniaxial tensile, planar equibiaxial, and volumetric, are considered to identify hyperelastic material models. This procedure is mainly used to determine hyperelastic material parameters accurately. On the contrary, using reverse engineering approaches, iterative finite element analyses, artificial neural networks, and virtual field methods to identify hyperelastic material parameters can provide accurate results that require no coupon material testing. In the current study, hyperelastic material parameters of selected rubbers (neoprene, silicone, and natural rubbers) were determined using an artificial neural network (ANN) model. Finite element analyses of O-ring tension and O-ring compression were simulated to create a data set to train the ANN model. Then, the ANN model was employed to identify the hyperelastic material parameters of the selected rubbers. Our study demonstrated that hyperelastic material parameters of any rubbers could be obtained directly from component experimental data without performing coupon tests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Modelling and Characterization of Soft and Supersoft Materials)

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17 pages, 4139 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Hairy Gels: A Computational Study

by Filip Uhlik, Oleg V. Rud, Oleg V. Borisov and Ekaterina B. Zhulina

Gels 2022, 8(12), 793; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8120793 - 3 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1656

Abstract

We present results of MD and MC simulations of the equilibrium properties of swelling gels with comb-like or bottlebrush subchains and compare them to scaling-theory predictions. In accordance with theory, the simulation results demonstrate that swelling coefficient of the gel increases as a [...] Read more.

We present results of MD and MC simulations of the equilibrium properties of swelling gels with comb-like or bottlebrush subchains and compare them to scaling-theory predictions. In accordance with theory, the simulation results demonstrate that swelling coefficient of the gel increases as a function of the polymerization degree of the main chains and exhibits a very weak maximum (or is virtually constant) as a function of the polymerization degree and grafting density of side chains. The bulk osmotic modulus passes through a shallow minimum as the polymerization degree of the side chains increases. This minimum is attributed to the onset of overlap of side chains belonging to different bottlebrush strands in the swollen gel. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Modelling and Characterization of Soft and Supersoft Materials)

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20 pages, 6740 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

High-Strain-Rate Compression of Elastomers Subjected to Temperature and Humidity Conditions

by Elli Gkouti, Muhammad Salman Chaudhry, Burak Yenigun and Aleksander Czekanski

Materials 2022, 15(22), 7931; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15227931 - 10 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1774

Abstract

Elastomers exhibit a complex response to high-strain-rate deformation due to their viscoelastic behaviour. Environmental conditions highly impact this behaviour, especially when both temperature and humidity change. In several applications where elastomers are used, the quantity of real humidity might vary, especially when the [...] Read more.

Elastomers exhibit a complex response to high-strain-rate deformation due to their viscoelastic behaviour. Environmental conditions highly impact this behaviour, especially when both temperature and humidity change. In several applications where elastomers are used, the quantity of real humidity might vary, especially when the temperature is elevated. In the current research, elastomeric materials were subjected to high-strain-rate compression in various elevated and lowered (cold) temperatures. Different humidity levels were applied at room and elevated temperatures to analyze the behaviour of rubbers in dry and moist conditions. Results showed that the mechanical behaviour of rubbers is highly affected by any environmental change. In particular, the impact caused by humidity variations is relative to their ability to absorb or repel water on their surface. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Modelling and Characterization of Soft and Supersoft Materials)

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