Unconfined Compression of Hydrogel Disks - Part 2 - Sample Preparation Rubber

The unconfined compression test is by far the most popular mechanical testing configuration to measure the mechanical properties of cylindrical samples. This undergraduate biomechanics class laboratory module consists of assessing mechanical properties of both rubber and hydrogel samples. Throughout this laboratory, each team will: prepare the rubber and hydrogel samples; test sample in unconfined compression with various stain rates; obtain the rubber and hydrogel samples' stiffness and Young's modulus for various strain rates considering the sample geometry; discuss the effect of stain rate on the Young's modulus; conclude with the effect of strain rate on Young's modulus for materials with elastic vs. non-elastic behavior.