Soft Materials Buckle Up for Measurement

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NIST researchers developed a new high-speed method for measuring the stiffness of soft-polymer materials like those used in contact lenses. The test material is covered with a sensor film and the combination is compressed until it buckles. The result ...
NIST researchers developed a new high-speed method for measuring the stiffness of soft-polymer materials like those used in contact lenses. The test material is covered with a sensor film, and the combination is compressed until it buckles. The resulting pattern of ridges is the key to determining stiffness, an important material property. Credit: NIST

Buckling under pressure can be a good thing, say materials scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Writing in the June 13 issue of Macromolecules, they report a new method to evaluate the mechanical properties of soft polymers and gels, such as those used in contact lenses and as tissue-engineering scaffolds. For such applications, stiffness is an indicator for key material performance qualities, such as comfort and durability, and it is important to controlling cell adhesion.


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