Mechanochemically Active Polymers
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Concept – Mechanophore Linked Polymers
We have incorporated mechanically sensitive chemical groups— called mechanophores—directly into the backbone of a polymer and have shown that mechanical force selectively breaks covalent bonds and induces unique chemical reactions.
Force activation of covalent bonds is a general strategy for the development of new mechanophore building blocks that impart polymeric materials with desirable functionalities ranging from damage sensing to fully regenerative self-healing.