Large deformation and ultimate properties of biopolymer gels: 2. Mixed gel systems

Abstract Biphasic, mixed gels of agarose and gelatin were prepared, and their mechanical behaviour in tensile tests was determined, up to failure, utilising four decades of (constant) strain rate. The behaviour of pure agarose and pure gelatin in such tests has been determined previously. Suitable ‘blending-laws’ relating the small deformation shear modulus of the composite to the moduli of the component phases have also been discussed elsewhere. This report extends the latter treatment to the more aggressive large deformation regime, deriving bounds for modulus and break stress which closely model observed behaviour.