Question

At low frequencies (< 10 Hz), which of the following statements do you expect to be true for your hydrogels?

a) Increased stiffness
b) Decreased viscosity
c) Enhanced elasticity
d) Reduced absorption capacity

Answer 1

At low frequencies, hydrogels are expected to show enhanced elasticity due to the semi-flexible nature of the polymers, which allows the material to be more elastic as the deformation rate is low.

Step-by-step explanation:

At low frequencies (< 10 Hz), hydrogels are expected to exhibit enhanced elasticity. This is due to the semi-flexible nature of polymers within the hydrogels, which allows for more elastic behavior at lower deformation rates. As frequency decreases, the polymer chains in the hydrogel have more time to relax between deformation cycles, contributing to a higher degree of elasticity. Conversely, at higher frequencies, there may not be enough time for the polymer chains to fully recover, leading to a behavior that might be perceived as increased stiffness. Regarding viscosity, it tends to be coupled with elasticity in complex materials like hydrogels, and at low frequencies, the material might display a decrease in the rate-dependent resistance to flow, which means decreased viscosity might also be observed. However, since the question is directly addressing mechanical properties relevant to elasticity and stiffness rather than viscosity or absorption capacity, the most likely expectation would be enhanced elasticity.