Electric-Field-Induced Phase Transition in Polymer Gels

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Abstract
Application of a dc electric field on an ionized isopropylacrylamide gel changes its volume and under appropriate conditions induces a phase transition. The electric field stabilizes a shrunken phase, thus lowers the transition temperature. Various observations show that the field effect in gel is due to migration of ions. Under a relatively large field, gel not only shrinks but also swells so that a curious phenomena of oscillating volume change and oscillating phase transitions occur. Mechanisms of the field-induced volume change are considered qualitatively.

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