Examination of Lubrication Effects on Fracture Measurements of Hydrogels via Cutting

Abstract

Despite cutting being a common process in the fracture of soft materials, there is no well-defined method that can be considered equivalent to some of the more traditional methods of fracture based in tension. A recently developed method by the name of razorblade-initiated fracture testing (RIFT) proves itself to be promising for compression-based fracture quantification, however, the effects of friction that arise in some gels makes it difficult to quantify true cutting fracture energy. We identify that by varying lubrication and rate of cutting, the effects of friction can be minimized, but we are unable to eliminate it entirely. These methods prove effective and can be used to further define the RIFT cutting process