Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Surface creasing in swelling polymer gels is commonly attributed to compressive strain or interlayer mismatch, yet its general control remains unclear. Here we show that solvent polymerization degree $N_{\rm s}$ provides an independent control parameter for crease onset in surface-bound polydimethylsiloxane gels swollen by silicone oils. Despite nearly identical swelling kinetics and through-thickness solvent concentration profiles, we observe a transition from creased to stable surfaces with increasing $N_{\rm s}$. A theory coupling swelling thermodynamics and mechanical stability reveals that polymeric solvents reduce the mixing entropy and thereby modify the osmotic pressure, allowing $N_{\rm s}$ to tune separately the equilibrium swelling and the crease threshold. This framework captures the stability boundary across solvent polymerization degree and network elasticity. These results identify polymeric solvents as active thermodynamic-mechanical regulators of swelling-induced surface.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Institution: Laboratoire Ondes et Matière d'Aquitaine
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7155368312
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: