Since the dawn of mankind, humans have used materials and tools to dominate the world. As our understanding of the fields physics, chemistry and engineering is growing, we are able to artificially create advanced materials with engineered responses. Next step would be to create ‘ smart’ or intelligent materials capable of sensing their environment and change their material properties in response, similar to biological matter. Active matter systems and materials functionalized with active components can lead to such responsive materials. The work presented in this thesis focuses on theoretical and computational modeling of such active soft matter systems. Specifically, we studied and helped design responsive hydrogel systems capable of shape transformations and locomotion in response to various external fields and stimuli. We also studied the migration of ferrofluid droplets in external magnetic fields which exist in a liquid phase as opposed to the hydrogels which are elastic. We developed continuum models to study each system and solved these models using the finite element method. We worked closely with experimentalists to verify our models and theories. The work developed here will help better understand these active materials and will aid in the development of newer active soft matter systems.

Creator

• Aggarwal, Aaveg

DOI

• https://doi.org/10.21985/n2-1h3x-2a84

Subject

• Physics

Language

• en

Alternate Identifier

• etdadmin_upload_932341
• http://dissertations.umi.com/northwestern:16286

Keyword

• Hydrogels
• Soft Active Materials
• Continuum modeling
• Finite element
• Soft matter

Date created

• 2022-01-01

Resource type

• Dissertation

Rights statement

• In Copyright