Swelling under constraints: Exploiting 3D-Printing to Optimize the Performance of Gel-Based Devices
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Simuli-responsive hydrogels that swell under constraints such as spatial geometric confinement are commonly employed in many applications to perform mechanical work. In this contribution, we present a simple 3D-printing based method to quantify the mechanical interactions between the gels and their environment. Our findings underscore the potential of gels in the design of actuators, sensors, biomedical devices, etc…