A web-based superabsorbent polymer solver (in simple science) : PHP, Python, Fortran, and Gnuplot together

We present a web-based solver to readily compute the parameters governing the "swelling" (expansion) of super-absorbent polymers, which can absorb about 1 thousand times its weight of water, having many industrial applications. The solver is of free access to a user just by means of a browser, i.e., installing no software by the user, thus needing no special power or operating system. We address the illustrative Engineering problem permitting, in this view, to combine the Web and suitable computer languages: PHP, Python, Fortran, gnuplot. The study has as objectives: to compute the parameters mentioned, key in the use of a superabsorbent; to serve as a template for other problems; and, more broadly, to draw attention both to the use of the Web for scientific computing, and to the convenience of this use in scientific publications (the "simple science"). This study points to and advocates web-based computing in general, which can use the same executable programs as classical computing, which is the typical hard task. An advantage of this relatively little explored approach is the easy access, also facilitating the collaboration between academia and industry in an age of effortless communication.