Mechanochemistry provides a unique approach to investigate macroscopic deformation,
failure and healing of polymer materials. The development of mechanophores–molecular …

Real-time monitoring of strain/stress in polymers is a big challenge to date. Herein, we for
the first time report an ESIPT (excited-state intramolecular proton transfer)-based …

Directly quantifying a spatially varying stress in soft materials is currently a great challenge.
We propose a method to do that by detecting a change in visible light absorption. We …

To design increasingly tough, resilient, and fatigue-resistant elastomers and hydrogels, the
relationship between controllable network parameters at the molecular level (bond type, non …

Monitoring strain/stress in the bulk polymer material by mechanochromic mechanophores
(MMs) with multimodal analyses can provide valuable information under loading. Herein …

Molecular force probes that generate optical responses to critical levels of mechanical stress
(mechanochromophores) are increasingly attractive tools for identifying molecular sites that …

Exploration of multicolor mechanochromic bulk polymers based on a single mechanophore
is a big challenge to date. Herein, we report a versatile benzimidazole-substituted …

Mechanophores that are embedded in a polymer backbone respond to the application of
mechanical stretching forces by geometric changes such as bond rupture. Typically, these …

Optical force probes (OFPs) are mechanochemically latent sensors that visualize stress and
strain at the molecular level by changing their optical properties upon force-induced bond …

The activation efficiency of mechanophores in stress-responsive polymers is generally
limited by the competing process of unspecific scission in other parts of the polymer chain …