Modeling the Influence of Initial Geometry on the Equilibrium Responses of Glucose-Sensitive Hydrogel

A model entitled the MECglu model is employed to investigate the effect of the initial geometric size on the equilibrium responses of glucose-sensitive hydrogel. With consideration of the chemo-electro-mechanical coupling effect, the model simulates the finite stimulus responsive deformation, which is associated with the electric potential and the fixed charge density in the hydrogel and the surrounding solvent, as the response to the change in the glucose concentration of the external solution. Influence of various material properties and environmental conditions on the performance of the smart material is analyzed by the model, especially focusing on the effect of the initial thickness of the hydrogel strip. The parameters studied include the ionic species, electric potential, fixed charge density, displacement, and swelling ratio of hydrogel. The parameter studies demonstrate that the response of the hydrogel can be optimized by varying the thickness of the hydrogel strip. In other words, while immersed in a glucose buffer solution, the glucose sensitivity of the thin membrane is higher than that of the thick one.