Chemomechanical oscillations in a responsive gel induced by an autocatalytic reaction

Abstract

In this article, we investigate dynamic behaviors of a gel layer attached to a rigid substrate and submerged in a continuous stirred tank reactor. With a continuous feed of fresh reactants in the reactor, the concentrations of reactants stay constant on the surface of the gel layer. However, the concentrations of reactants inside the gel are inhomogeneous and vary with time, which are determined by the diffusion and chemical reactions of the reactants. Additionally, both monotonic and oscillatory swelling-shrinking dynamics are predicted in the gel if the swelling capability of the gel depends on the concentration of a reactant. Based on autocatalytic reaction, kinetic model, and nonequilibrium thermodynamic theory of gels, in this article, we investigate the effect of the thickness of the gel layer, lateral prestretches in the gel and the initial concentrations of reactants in the gel on its dynamic behaviors. We have also calculated the evolution of the swelling force that the gel layer exerts on its constrained substrate. The results of this article may find potential applications in using responsive gels to make chemo-mechanical sensors, actuators, biomimetic devices, and even drug delivery systems.