An analytical model is developed to predict shockwave propagation and attenuation in hydrogels by combining the classical method of shock characteristics and a solution for the shock front structure. To guide the development of the model and provide critical constitutive input, a one-dimensional shock pulse in poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels is simulated with the nonequilibrium molecular dynamics method. The role of polymer concentration on the shock response is evaluated by constructing hydrogels with 20, 35, and 50 wt.% PEGDA concentrations in an idealized crosslinked network. The new model successfully captures salient features of shockwave attenuation, including the shock pressure amplitude, the velocities of the shock and release waves, and the attenuation timeline. Hydrogels with higher polymer concentrations exhibit a shorter attenuation time at all particle velocities studied. This behavior is attributed to differences in bulk properties and shock front structure in hydrogels with different polymer/water concentrations.
2021-04-07 08:00:00
