Conical Indentation of PDMS Gels

Load-relaxation indentation measurements (Fig. a) in gels allow for easy differentiation between viscoelastic and poroelastic behavior of gels. The viscoelastic behavior reflects the elastic properties of the gel, while the poroelastic behavior reflects the effects of the liquid properties of the gel, and how the fluid flows through the gel. By controlling the indentation and measuring the time dependence of the response, the full behavior is determined. These gels can be very useful for biomedical devices and other applications, for which knowledge of their elastic behavior is essential.