Polymer Mechanochemistry: From Bonds to Materials

This lecture explores the field of polymer mechanochemistry, focusing on the use of mechanical forces to modulate chemical transformations in polymers. Starting with the early work of Staudinger in the 1930s, the lecture covers topics such as breaking covalent bonds, mechanophores, and techniques to apply mechanical forces to polymers. It delves into the mechanochanical synthesis, flow-induced mechanochemistry, and ultrasound-induced chain scission. The lecture also discusses the kinetics of chain degradation, the effect of factors like temperature, solvent, and polymer concentration on mechanochemistry, and the design of force-responsive materials. Various applications of polymer mechanochemistry, including self-healing materials and mechanocatalysis, are also highlighted.