Carefully designed 'mechanophores' can tame the 'brute force' approach needed for breaking chemical bonds in reactions. If incorporated into polymers and activated by mechanical forces, the mechanophores undergo rearrangement reactions to selectively form new molecules. The effect might result in mechanically responsive polymers that warn of impending structural failures, can slow damage or even self-repair.
- Charles R. Hickenboth
- Jeffrey S. Moore
- Scott R. Wilson
