The MONET team traveled to Durham, NC for the Year 4 Annual meeting and sponsor review. Over three days we presented the work accomplished so far and discussed ideas for the future. These are invaluable opportunities for face to face interactions and lead to great new collaborations!

A team from the Gong and Rubinstein labs report demonstrate how weak bonds can be leveraged to achieve self-strengthening in polymer network materials. These weak sacrificial bonds trigger mechanochemical reactions, forming new networks rapidly enough to reinforce the material during deformation and significantly improve crack resistance. Article Link

A team from the Klausen , Nelson , Kulik , and Craig labs report a novel chemical design for accelerated mechanochemical bond scission based on replacing a single carbon atom in a crosslinker with a silicon atom. They show seamless incorporation of these scissile carbosilanes to toughen 3D-printed networks, which demonstrates their suitability for additive manufacturing processes. Article Link

A team from the Craig , Olsen , and Rubinstein labs, in collaboration with others at MIT, systematically study the fracture mechanics of polymer-like networks with hybrid bond strengths to reveal that varying the ratio of strong and weak strands within otherwise identical networks gives a non-monotonic relationship between intrinsic fracture energy and strong strand fraction.   The interplay between concentration and clustering of strand types in networks with hybrid bond strengths, combined with crack growth phenomena and nonlocal energy release, provides insights into unusual fracture characteristics in polymer networks and percolated lattices. Article Link

A team from the Kulik and Craig labs leverage density functional theory (DFT) and external force explicitly included (EFEI) modeling to study a set of 395 feasible Fe2+ and Co2+ candidates to discover potential transition metal mechanophores exhibiting force-activated spin-crossover. The set of spin-crossover mechanophores, the design principles, and the computational approach will be useful in guiding the high-throughput discovery of transition metal mechanophores with diverse functionalities and broad applications, including mechanically activated catalysis. Article Link

A team from the Olsen lab utilize a custom-built rheo-fluoresence setup to quantify bond dissociation in model end-linked associative polymers in real time with nonlinear shear deformation based on a fluorescence quench transition when phenanthroline ligands bind with Ni 2+ . Article Link

A team from the Moore lab introduce the restoring force triangle (RFT) to facilitate understanding of the selective responsiveness of mechanophores as specific molecular units within the macromolecular backbone that are particularly sensitive to tension. The RFT helps chemists intuitively understand how tensile force contributes to the activation of a putative mechanophore, facilitating the development of mechanochemical reactions and mechano-responsive materials. Article Link

A team from the Nelson and Olvera de la Cruz labs establish a strain learning mechanical metamaterial that can not only recover after plastic deformation but also become stronger and stiffer in response to the applied loads. These protein–polymer strain learning metamaterials offer a unique platform for materials that can autonomously remodel after being deformed, mimicking the remodeling processes that occur in natural materials. Article Link

A team from the Klausen , Craig , and Kulik labs report that differences in ring strain enthalpy between cis and trans isomers of sila-cycloheptene provide a driving force for both polymerization and depolymerization via olefin metathesis. The work showcases that subtle structural modifications can have dramatic effects on chemical reactivity relevant to polymer end-of-life management. Article Link

The NSF Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure has awarded Prof. Heather Kulik a new allocation for the project "Developing Accurate Materials Design Strategies Across Method- and Length-Scales". That project has been awarded an allocation on the following resources: SDSC Expanse Projects Storage: 13,465.0 GB SDSC Expanse GPU: 74,750.0 GPU Hours SDSC Expanse CPU: 4,331,520.0 Core-hours Based on cost estimates provided by the resource providers, the allocation of resources awarded to this project would represent approximately $68,319 in support. Congratulations Heather and good luck with the project!

The award recognizes and encourages accomplishments and innovation of unusual merit in the field of basic or applied polymer science. A half-day symposium will be held in Jeremiah's honor at the Spring 2025 ACS National Meeting in San Diego, CA. The award (sponsored and administered by the POLY division of the ACS) also includes a plaque, honorarium, and travel assistance to attend the spring meeting. Congratulations Jeremiah!

The award recognizes outstanding fundamental contributions and achievements in the field of polymer chemistry. Michael will be honored at the ACS National Awards Ceremony and Symposium in San Diego at the Spring Meeting in March 2025. The award (sponsored by ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering) also includes a plaque, cash prize, and travel assistance to attend the spring meeting. Congratulations Michael!