Rational mechanochemical design of Diels–Alder crosslinked biocompatible hydrogels with enhanced properties

Abstract

An important but often overlooked feature of Diels–Alder (DA) cycloadditions is the ability for DA adducts to undergo mechanically induced cycloreversion when placed under force. Herein, we demonstrate that the...

How friction and adhesion affect the mechanics of deep penetration in soft solids

“…However, some experimental results show different crack morphologies, like ring-shaped cracks, 14,28,29 conical cracks, 15 or more complex morphologies. 30 In these scenarios, our prediction could be inaccurate, and one would have to extend our model to account for complex crack morphologies. We leave this for future work.…”

Dynamic Covalent Hydrogels: Strong yet Dynamic

“…Recent literature has reported that Diels–Alder adducts undergo mechanically induced cycloreversion when loading a mechanical force [ 62 , 63 ]. Through rational computational design, “mechanoresistant” Diels–Alder adducts were identified by constrained geometries simulating external force models and employed to enhance failure strength of crosslinked hydrogels [ 64 ].…”

Strain-triggered acidification in a double-network hydrogel enabled by multi-functional transduction of molecular mechanochemistry

“…Representative examples include mechanochromic molecules, which change material color or luminescence through mechanochemical transformations, 2,4 and the controlled scission or extension of stress-bearing mechanophores that directly impact the tearing or stretching of the networks into which they are incorporated. [22][23][24] By indirect pathways, we refer to systems in which initial mechanochemical responses generate species that go on to react in a way that has macroscopic consequences. For example, the mechanochemical generation of protons, [25][26][27] radicals, 10 catalysts, 28 or reactive ene structures 12 can be coupled to polymerization/crosslinking reactions [10][11][12] or color changes brought about by subsequent acid-base reactions.…”