Failure Mechanics in Soft Matter

Abstract:

Hydrogels mimic the mechanical properties of biological tissues but often exhibit low toughness and brittle fractures, limiting their broader application. I will present recent work from our laboratory on the mechanics of failure in gelatin hydrogels, with a focus on the role of methylglyoxal-induced crosslinks. To understand how viscoelasticity regulates failure, we engineer polyacrylamide hydrogels with similar elastic moduli but distinct viscoelastic properties and probe failure using cavitation rheology. Using a modified Rayleigh–Plesset framework, we quantify the contribution of viscous stresses in hydrogel failures. I will further discuss how collagen fiber reinforcement and methylglyoxal crosslinks modulate the mechanics of natural fiber reinforced hydrogels using corneal tissue as a model system. These results demonstrate how viscoelasticity and microstructural organization govern the failure mechanics of soft materials.

Bio:

Namrata Gundiah is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. Her research focuses on nonlinear tissue mechanics and cell mechanobiology. Prior to joining the Institute, she worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco. She earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.