Phosphorescent extensophores expose elastic nonuniformity in polymer networks

Kaikai Zheng, Yifan Zhang, Bo Li and Steve Granick ()
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Kaikai Zheng: Institute for Basic Science (IBS)
Yifan Zhang: Institute for Basic Science (IBS)
Bo Li: Institute for Basic Science (IBS)
Steve Granick: Institute for Basic Science (IBS)

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Networks and gels are soft elastic solids of tremendous technological importance that consist of cross-linked polymers whose structure and connectivity at the molecular level are fundamentally nonuniform. Pre-failure local mechanical responses are not understood at the level of individual crosslinks, despite the enormous attention given to their macroscopic mechanical responses and to developing optical probes to detect their loci of mechanical failure. Here, introducing the extensophore concept to measure nondestructive forces using an optical probe with continuous force readout proportional to deformation, we show that the crosslinks in an elastic polymer network extend, fluctuate, and deform with a wide range of molecular individuality. Requiring little specialized equipment, this foundational single-molecule phosphorescence approach, applied here to polymer science and engineering, can be useful to a broad science and engineering community.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36249-x

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