An accessible instrument for measuring soft material mechanical properties
Name
045109_1_5.0247364.pdf
Description
Published version
Size
7.46 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
5c5494fe246d06d778bafdd1c6025f97
Author(s)
Unikewicz, BM
Pincot, AM
Cohen, T
Date Issued
April 22, 2025
Journal
Review of Scientific Instruments
Publisher
AIP Publishing
Citation
B. M. Unikewicz, A. M. Pincot, T. Cohen; An accessible instrument for measuring soft material mechanical properties. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1 April 2025; 96 (4): 045109.
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Soft material research has seen significant growth in recent years, with emerging applications in robotics, electronics, and healthcare diagnostics where understanding the material mechanical response is crucial for precision design. Traditional methods for measuring nonlinear mechanical properties of soft materials require specially sized samples that are extracted from their natural environment to be mounted on the testing instrument. This has been shown to compromise data accuracy and precision in various soft and biological materials. To overcome this, the Volume Controlled Cavity Expansion (VCCE) method was developed. This technique tests soft materials by controlling the formation rate of a liquid cavity inside the materials at the tip of an injection needle and simultaneously measuring the resisting pressure that describes the material response. Despite VCCE’s early successes, expansion of its application beyond academia has been hindered by cost, size, and expertise. In response to this, the first portable, benchtop instrument utilizing VCCE is presented here. This device, built with affordable, readily available components and open-source software, streamlines VCCE experimentation without sacrificing performance or precision. It is especially suitable for space-limited settings and designed for use by non-experts, promoting widespread adoption. The instrument’s efficacy was demonstrated through testing polydimethylsiloxane samples of varying stiffness. This study not only validates instrument performance but also sets the stage for further advancements and broader applications in soft material testing. All data, along with acquisition, control, and post-processing scripts, are made available on GitHub.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0247364
