Swelling-induced pattern transformations of periodic hydrogels -- from the wrinkling of internal surfaces to the buckling of thin films

Abstract: We investigate pattern transformations of periodic hydrogel systems that are triggered by swelling-induced structural instabilities. The types of microstructures considered in the present work include single-phase and two-phase voided hydrogel structures as well as reinforced hydrogel thin films. While the observed transformations of the single-phase structures show good agreement with experimental findings, the two-phase materials provide novel patterns associated with wrinkling of internal surfaces. Furthermore, an extensive parametric study on the reinforced hydrogel thin films reveals new opportunities for the design of complex out-of-plane surface modes caused by swelling-induced instabilities. Next to the mentioned buckling-type instabilities, we encountered the development of micro-creases at the internal surfaces of periodic media before the loss of strong ellipticity of effective moduli.