Mechanogenerated Acids

在这个由化学部高分子、超分子和纳米化学项目资助的项目中，伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校的 Jeffrey S. Moore 将开发新型力敏感分子（力力团），这种分子在机械应力下会发生一系列化学反应以产生酸。该研究由三个互补的部分组成。在第一部分中，研究将集中于级联反应的设计和研究，其中机械化学反应产生高能中间体，该中间体将经历一个或多个反应，最终产生酸。在第二部分中，将通过开发分析方法来验证酸的产生，同时研究酸的产生和聚合物结构的物理和化学变化。最后，通过将选择性机械化学酸生成与酸催化键形成相结合，将开发自主自增强材料。更广泛的影响包括培训本科生和研究生、博士后研究人员、开发具有自修复应用根本意义的机械适应性聚合物和复合材料。由这些智能材料制成的部件的使用寿命得到延长，将有助于减少废物的产生。塑料和复合材料在我们的生活中无处不在，是手机屏幕等小型应用到飞机机身等大型应用的首选材料。这些材料的使用寿命有限，在机械应力作用下可能会缩短。这项研究旨在通过开发一种自修复系统来提高这些材料的使用寿命，该系统利用这些材料支持的机械应力来加固或修复材料。具体重点是找到一种在机械应力下产生酸的可靠方法，并将这种酸用于建设性化学。通过开发这些新工艺，这项研究将导致智能材料的开发，该材料在机械疲劳下具有自我增强甚至自我修复的能力。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Jeffrey S. Moore of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will develop new force-sensitive molecules (mechanophores) that, under mechanical stress, undergo a series of chemical reactions to produce acid. The research has three complementary components. In the first part, the research will focus on the design and study of cascade reactions, where a mechanochemical reaction leads to a high energy intermediate, which will undergo one or several reactions, eventually producing acid. In the second part, the acid production will be validated by developing analytical methods to study the acid production and the physical and chemical changes in the polymer structure concurrently. Finally, by combining selective mechanochemical acid-generation to acid-catalyzed bond formation, autonomous self-reinforcing materials will be developed. The broader impacts involve training undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, the development of mechanically adaptable polymers and composites with fundamental implications in self-healing applications. The extended service life of components made from these smart materials will contribute to reducing waste generation.Plastics and composites are ubiquitous in our lives, being the materials of choice for small applications such as cell-phone screens to large ones such as airplane hulls. These materials have a limited lifetime, which can be reduced under mechanical stresses. This research seeks to improve the lifespan of these materials by developing a self-healing system which harnesses the mechanical stress these materials support to reinforce or heal the material. The specific focus is to find a robust way to produce acid under mechanical stress and use this acid for constructive chemistry. Through development of these new processes, this research will lead to the development of intelligent materials with the ability to self-reinforce or even self-heal when under mechanical fatigue.