Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol.16, No.4, 305-310, 1995
SELF-OSCILLATING SWELLING AND DESWELLING OF POLYMER GELS
Novel gel systems demonstrating rhythmically pulsatile mechanical motion similar to that of a heartbeat were developed. Self-oscillations of swelling and deswelling for the polymer hydrogels were realized by coupling pH and temperature sensitive hydrogels with a non-linear chemical reaction in the external solution media. The novel gel dynamics exhibiting cyclic and rhythmical oscillations may establish a new concept for functional materials that work under dynamic oscillating states.