With Mechanophores, A Material Changes Color As It Reaches Breaking Point
A new rapid-acting, reversible polymer changes color when it is about to fail.
Researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign added force-sensitive molecules, known as mechanophores, to materials.
“The color change is the result of stress applied to the bonds that connect the mechanophores to a polymer chain,” said Hai Qian, materials science and engineering professor.
The mechanophore materials support new kinds of stress sensors.
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