Chemo-mechanical modelling of deformation and fracture in biodegradable polymers

生物可降解聚合物是环保的，由于其一旦达到目的就能逐渐分解的能力，在各种应用中得到了应用。它们构成了传统塑料的可持续替代品，特别是在包装、薄膜和涂料等领域。由于它们的生物兼容性和可调性，它们在医疗保健应用中也是有吸引力的材料，包括植入物、缝合线和药物输送装置。在这些应用中，可生物降解聚合物必须保持其设计的形态并具有合适的力学性能(刚性、强度和韧性)，才能完成其结构功能。然而，保持这些聚合物性能的一个主要挑战是它们的脆性。在医疗保健应用中，裂缝的发展可能会产生碎片，可能会导致并发症，在极端情况下，会被证明是致命的。在可持续性应用中，过早的材料断裂会缩短使用寿命并降低整体性能。引起降解的化学反应(例如，水解)也会产生空洞和微裂纹等缺陷，而应力辅助的降解会加速裂纹的扩展速度。这涉及到化学和力学之间复杂的相互作用，但尚未完全理解。该项目旨在开发一个全面的化学-力学连续统模拟框架，以模拟生物可降解聚合物中应力辅助化学降解所产生的变形和断裂。连续介质模型将考虑聚合物网络的非弹性变形、化学反应和反应物的扩散等关键方面。它将被集成到强大的计算工具中，用于在各种加载条件下测试这些材料。该项目还将探索不同的环境因素如何影响开裂，并调查各种降解途径。此外，它还将研究聚合物的化学和结构如何影响裂纹扩展。该项目将为研究和工业带来巨大的好处。它将为定制可生物降解的聚合物、提高其性能和耐用性提供指导。它将创造出更合理、更有效地设计可生物降解装置的工具，限制了对耗时和昂贵的试验性反复试验方法的需求。此外，它还将提高可生物降解设备的安全性和性能，使医药、包装和工程等领域受益。最终，它可以通过促进可持续性和效率，同时减少对环境的影响来改变行业。该项目根深蒂固地植根于EPSRC的工程主题，它主要符合连续介质力学副主题，也与聚合物材料副主题相关。

Biodegradable polymers are eco-friendly and find use in various applications due to their ability to gradually break down once their purpose is served. They constitute a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics, especially in areas such as packaging, films, and coatings. They are also attractive materials in healthcare applications including implants, sutures, and drug delivery devices, thanks to their biocompatibility and adjustable properties. In these applications, biodegradable polymers must maintain their designed morphology and possess suitable mechanical properties (stiffness, strength, and toughness) before completing their structural function.However, a major challenge in maintaining the performance of these polymers is their brittleness. In healthcare applications, the development of cracks can generate fragments that may result in complications and, in extreme cases, prove fatal. In sustainability applications, premature material fracture curtails the operational lifespan and diminishes overall performance. The chemical reactions that cause degradation (e.g. hydrolysis) can also create defects like voids and microcracks, and stress-assisted degradation can accelerate the rate of crack growth. This involves a complex interplay between chemistry and mechanics, not yet fully understood.This project aims to develop a comprehensive chemo-mechanical continuum modelling framework to simulate the deformation and fracture by stress-assisted chemical degradation in biodegradable polymers. The continuum model will account for key aspects including the inelastic deformations of the polymer network, chemical reactions, and diffusion of reactants. It will be integrated into powerful computing tools for testing these materials under various loading conditions. The project will also explore how different environmental factors affect cracking and investigate various degradation pathways. Additionally, it will examine how the polymer's chemistry and structure influence crack growth. The project will provide significant benefits to both research and industry. It will offer guidelines for tailoring biodegradable polymers, improving their performance and durability. It will create tools for designing biodegradable devices more rationally and efficiently, limiting the need for time-consuming and costly experimental trial-and-error approaches. Additionally, it will enhance the safety and performance of biodegradable devices, benefiting fields like medicine, packaging, and engineering. Ultimately, it can transform industries by promoting sustainability and efficiency while reducing environmental impact. The project is strongly rooted within the Engineering theme of EPSRC, where it primarily fits within the Continuum Mechanics subtheme and is also relevant to the Polymer materials subtheme.