Fast-acting, color-changing molecular probe senses when a material is about to fail

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau) Materials that contain special polymer molecules may someday be able to warn us when they are about to fail, researchers said. Engineers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have improved their previously developed force-sensitive molecules, called mechanophores, to produce reversible, rapid and vibrant color change when a force is applied.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news