Chemical wave characterization of self-oscillating gelatin and polyacrylamide gels

Abstract

Self-oscillating hydrogels driven by the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction provide a unique foundation for the mimicry of autonomic biological systems. One of the key challenges for assessing practical performance limits of these materials is detailed knowledge of the chemical and mechanical characteristics of the BZ gels at various states of autonomic behavior. Recently we developed two BZ gel systems based on gelatin and polyacrylamide. The desired chemical response for effective swelling-deswelling oscillation and mechanical force production involves a delicate balance of chemical wave period, amplitude, and gel swelling properties. The chemical performance of gelatin and polyacrylamide BZ gels according to this criteria is discussed.