# Polymeric Solvents Control Swelling-Induced Surface Creasing

Source: [Polymeric Solvents Control Swelling-Induced Surface Creasing](<https://www.sota2.com/research/paper/69e9a7b255a3c32af89f71e0>)

Collection index: [llms.txt](<https://www.sota2.com/research/llms.txt>)

Data updated: 2026-04-24T05:00:04.605Z

Authors: Zechao Jiang, Zhaoyu Ding, Shaohua Yang, Ye Xu, Dongshi Guan, Abdelhamid Maali, Joshua D Mcgraw, Thomas Salez, Zaicheng Zhang, Xingkun Man

Published: 2026-04-22T07:54:15.000Z

## Abstract

Surface creasing in swelling polymer gels is commonly attributed to compressive strain or interlayer mismatch, yet its general control remains unclear. Here we show that solvent polymerization degree $N\_{\\rm s}$ provides an independent control parameter for crease onset in surface-bound polydimethylsiloxane gels swollen by silicone oils. Despite nearly identical swelling kinetics and through-thickness solvent concentration profiles, we observe a transition from creased to stable surfaces with increasing $N\_{\\rm s}$. A theory coupling swelling thermodynamics and mechanical stability reveals that polymeric solvents reduce the mixing entropy and thereby modify the osmotic pressure, allowing $N\_{\\rm s}$ to tune separately the equilibrium swelling and the crease threshold. This framework captures the stability boundary across solvent polymerization degree and network elasticity. These results identify polymeric solvents as active thermodynamic-mechanical regulators of swelling-induced surface.

## Recorded benchmark results

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## Original sources and implementation

[Original paper](<https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.20299>)

[PDF](<https://arxiv.org/pdf/2604.20299.pdf>)