Hydrogel Instabilities (RET)

Mentors

• 

  Abigail Plummer*

  Assistant Professor (ME, MSE)

• 

  Rishabh *

  PhD Candidate

Project Description

Understanding the factors that either stimulate or hinder growth and expansion is relevant to many fields, including medicine, morphogenesis, and agriculture. We are particularly interested in studying how expanding or growing bodies respond to the presence of obstacles. Recently, we have focused on how hydrogels can be used as a model system to explore how stresses develop. In this project, the researcher will fabricate superabsorbent hydrogels and search for novel mechanical instabilities.

Timeline

Weeks 1-2: Learn the basics of synthesizing hydrogels and how to vary their mechanical properties.
Weeks 2-4: Fabricate obstacles and learn basics of image analysis.
Weeks 4-6:  Perform swelling experiments to search for novel instabilities.