2D simulation of the deformation of pH-sensitive hydrogel by novel strong-form meshless random differential quadrature method

The objective of presented work is to simulate the response of 2D hydrogel when subjected to the varying pH of buffer solution and initial fixed-charge concentration inside the hydrogel. The novelty of the work is that this is the first attempt to perform the 2D simulation of pH-responsive hydrogel by novel strong-form meshless method, such as random differential quadrature (RDQ) method. The analytical equations, derived for the hydrogel deformation in the x and y directions, are numerically verified by the square shaped hydrogel disc. The jumps in the distributions of ionic concentrations and electrical potential, across the interface between solution and hydrogel, are effectively captured by the RDQ method. A novel approach is proposed to correctly impose natural boundary conditions for non-uniform boundary. The effects of solution pH and initial fixed-charge concentration on the hydrogel swelling are also successfully investigated.