Abstract
The swelling dynamics of polymer gels are characterized by the (collective) diffusion coefficient of the polymer network. Here, we measure the temperature dependence of of polymer gels with controlled homogeneous network structures using dynamic light scattering. An evaluation of the diffusion coefficient at the gelation point and the increase therein as the gelation proceeds indicates that is a linear function of the absolute temperature with a significantly large negative constant term. This feature is formally identical to the recently discovered “negative energy elasticity” [Y. Yoshikawa et al. Phys. Rev. X 11, 011045 (2021)], demonstrating a nontrivial similarity between the statics and dynamics of polymer networks.
- Received 30 June 2021
- Revised 20 September 2021
- Accepted 22 October 2021
- Corrected 3 December 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.237801
© 2021 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Corrections
3 December 2021
Correction: The previously published Fig. 2 contained errors in the T0 values given in the upper panels of part (b) and has been replaced.