Figure 5.

Stiffness demonstration, kinetics, and reversibility (experimental and simulated) properties of t-CNC-g-POEG₃A/PVAc nanocomposites. (a) Images of 30 wt % t-CNC-g-POEG₃A/PVAc composite placed in 25 °C water, removed from water but unable to penetrate gelatin due to low mechanical strength, placed in 60 °C water for 2 min, and then removed from water but now strong enough to penetrate gelatin. (b) Tensile storage modulus (E′) of the 30 wt % t-CNC-g-POEG₃A/PVAc composite cycled 4 times between 25 and 60 °C water. (c) EDPD simulation demonstrating the reversibility of the temperature responsive system. (d) Stiffness versus time of 30 and 15 wt % t-CNC-g-POEG₃A/PVAc composites examined using DMA. Experiments start with the wet swollen films (1W_BL), which are then exposed to 60 °C water (1W_AL). (e) EDPD kinetic simulation of network formation as a function of time for different filler content.