Fast reversible isomerization of merocyanine as a tool to quantify stress history in elastomers.

ABSTRACT: A mechanochemistry based approach is proposed to detect and map stress history during dynamic processes. Spiropyran (SP), a force sensitive molecular probe, was incorporated as a crosslinker into multiple network elastomers (MNE). When these mechanochromic MNEs are loaded, SP undergoes a well-known force-activated reaction to merocyanine (MC) changing its absorption in the visible range (visible blue color). This SP to MC transition is not reversible within the time frame of the experiment and the color change reports the concentration of activated molecules. During subsequent loading-unloading cycles the MC undergoes a fast and reversible isomerization resulting in a slight shift of absorption spectrum and results in a second color change (blue to purple color corresponding to the loading

SUBMITTER: Chen Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8179306 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature