Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 49: Gels, Polymer Networks and Elastomers I

CPP 49.1: Talk

Thursday, March 12, 2026, 11:30–11:45, ZEU/0255

Nanoparticle--Polymer Coupling in Magnetic Gels Studied by Means of Computer Simulations and Experiments — •Rebecca Stephan¹, Surojit Ranoo^2,4, Patrick Kreissl¹, Chinmay Pabshettiwar¹, Jessica Kubis², Christian Holm¹, Annette M. Schmidt², Regine von Klitzing³, and Rudolf Weeber¹ — ¹Institute for Computational Physics (ICP), Universität Stuttgart — ²Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne — ³Institute for Condensed Matter Physics, Technical University of Darmstadt — ⁴Laboratoire Colloïdes et Matériaux Divisés, ESPCI Paris

Magnetic gels - soft hydrogels with embedded magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) - combine the viscoelastic properties of a gel with the magnetic behavior of the MNPs. Their response to an external magnetic field enables tunable mechanical and dynamic properties such as shape, stiffness, and swelling. The microscopic coupling mechanisms between the MNPs and the surrounding polymer matrix are crucial for the material's stimuli-responsive properties. However, these mechanisms are not yet fully understood.

In this work, we juxtapose results for PAAm hydrogels with embedded cobalt ferrite nanoparticles with coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations coupled to lattice-Boltzmann hydrodynamics. In both cases, we probe the coupling using magnetic AC susceptibility spectra. Our findings demonstrate that the local polymer environment and the surface heterogeneity of the magnetic particles - chemical or topographical - play an important role in MNP-polymer coupling.

Keywords: magnetic hydrogels; coarse-grained MD-LB simulations; magnetic nanoparticles; nanoparticle-polymer coupling; AC magnetic susceptibility