Publications: #74

74. "Elasticity, Fracture and Thermoreversible Gelation of Highly Filled Physical Gels," Drzal, P.L.; Shull, K.R., Eur. Phys. J. E, 17, 477 (2005).

Abstract: We describe a physically associating triblock copolymer-based gel that exhibits a reversible transition between solid-like and liquid-like behavior at a temperature of approximately 55 °C. The character of the solid/liquid transition is maintained when the gels are filled with solid particles at volume fractions as large as 0.55, so that these are excellent model systems for studying the elastic properties of highly filled elastic solids. The fracture strength of the filled gels exceeds the modulus of the base gel by a factor of 100 or more, while the viscosity at high temperatures remains remarkably low. Stress relaxation experiments are used to probe the added dissipation effects due to the localized increased strain around the particles on the long time relaxation of the filled gels under a constant strain. A thermoreversible gelcasting technique with broad applications for materials processing is described as one practical application of the ideal solid/liquid transition exhibited by these materials.

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