Exposing synthetic materials to large stresses tends to result in simple failure, unlike many biological systems, which respond by enabling physiological processes such as hearing and balance. But by incorporating a chemical group that responds to mechanical stress by changing its colour, it is possible to monitor the accumulation of plastic deformation directly in a synthetic polymer. This principle could be used to design synthetic materials with desirable functionalities ranging from damage sensing to fully regenerative self-healing.
- Douglas A. Davis
- Andrew Hamilton
- Nancy R. Sottos
