Effect of Potassium-Ion-Triggered Double Helix Aggregation on Shakedown Behavior of κ-Carrageenan/Polyacrylamide Hydrogel

Zhao, Xueqi; Pan, Yudong; Zhou, Zhanrong; Gao, Yang; Li, Aijun; Shi, Binkai; Hu, Jian; Wang, Liuying

doi:10.3390/gels11060412

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Potassium-Ion-Triggered Double Helix Aggregation on Shakedown Behavior of κ-Carrageenan/Polyacrylamide Hydrogel

by

Xueqi Zhao

¹

,

Yudong Pan

²,

Zhanrong Zhou

¹,

Yang Gao

¹

,

Aijun Li

¹,

Binkai Shi

¹,

Jian Hu

^3,* and

Liuying Wang

^1,*

¹

Rocket Force University of Engineering, Xi’an 710025, China

²

The Institute of Xi’an Aerospace Solid Propulsion Technology, Xi’an 710025, China

³

State Key Lab for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, International Center for Applied Mechanics, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Gels 2025, 11(6), 412; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11060412

Submission received: 5 May 2025 / Revised: 26 May 2025 / Accepted: 28 May 2025 / Published: 30 May 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Gel Materials: Chemistry, Processing, Mechanical Performance, and Applications)

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Abstract

This study investigates the effect of potassium ion (K⁺) concentration on double helix aggregation in κ-carrageenan-based hydrogels, which significantly influences their shakedown behavior. The shakedown behavior of κ-carrageenan/polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogels was characterized by the evolution of maximum stress and energy dissipation during cyclic load. The experimental results indicate that higher K⁺ concentrations significantly improve the maximum stress in the steady state, but barely influence the energy dissipation in the steady state. The improved maximum stress can be explained by the higher density of double helix aggregation. The steady energy dissipation elucidates that the K⁺ concentration does not affect the breaking–recovering balance of the sacrificial network in cyclic loading. These results provide mechanistic insights into how ion-triggered double helix aggregation influences the shakedown behavior of κ-carrageenan-based hydrogels.

Keywords: fatigue damage; double helices; shakedown behavior; κ-carrageenan hydrogel

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zhao, X.; Pan, Y.; Zhou, Z.; Gao, Y.; Li, A.; Shi, B.; Hu, J.; Wang, L. Effect of Potassium-Ion-Triggered Double Helix Aggregation on Shakedown Behavior of κ-Carrageenan/Polyacrylamide Hydrogel. Gels 2025, 11, 412. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11060412

AMA Style

Zhao X, Pan Y, Zhou Z, Gao Y, Li A, Shi B, Hu J, Wang L. Effect of Potassium-Ion-Triggered Double Helix Aggregation on Shakedown Behavior of κ-Carrageenan/Polyacrylamide Hydrogel. Gels. 2025; 11(6):412. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11060412

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhao, Xueqi, Yudong Pan, Zhanrong Zhou, Yang Gao, Aijun Li, Binkai Shi, Jian Hu, and Liuying Wang. 2025. "Effect of Potassium-Ion-Triggered Double Helix Aggregation on Shakedown Behavior of κ-Carrageenan/Polyacrylamide Hydrogel" Gels 11, no. 6: 412. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11060412

APA Style

Zhao, X., Pan, Y., Zhou, Z., Gao, Y., Li, A., Shi, B., Hu, J., & Wang, L. (2025). Effect of Potassium-Ion-Triggered Double Helix Aggregation on Shakedown Behavior of κ-Carrageenan/Polyacrylamide Hydrogel. Gels, 11(6), 412. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11060412

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Effect of Potassium-Ion-Triggered Double Helix Aggregation on Shakedown Behavior of κ-Carrageenan/Polyacrylamide Hydrogel

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