Multilayer Hydrogel Seals: Numerical Study of Elastic Leak

Utilizing hydrogels for sealing devices has attracted the attention of researchers in both academia and industry. The main reason for this attraction is the ability of these materials to absorb surrounding fluid and swelling and the subsequent sealing of the desired portion without any external manipulation. Investigation of the behavior of these materials when implemented as seals is of major importance. This paper studies a rectangular multilayer hydrogel with different material properties numerically by using thermo-mechanical coupled constitutive models available in the literature. Leakage models of elastomeric seals were implemented to examine the leakage of these seals under the pressure of the fluid. The methods are validated through comparison with experiments benchmarked in the literature. After modeling the seals, the mechanism of leakage is investigated, and parameter study of seals considering the cross-linking density distribution of multilayer hydrogel is presented. The findings showed that the ascending and descending property distributions in the studied multilayer hydrogel have a considerable effect on sealing behavior, providing the researchers with an accurate vision of designing such seals.