CHAPTER 5: Mechanofluorochromic Polymer Composites

An overview of the mechanoflurochromism of polymeric composite systems, including basal principle, preparation methods and mechanochromic mechanism, has been presented. Because the number of mechanoflurochromic covalently tethered dye-polymers are very limited at present, the development of the dye-doped polymer composite systems seems to be of vital importance. Not all the dye-doped polymer systems show mechanochromic fluorescent properties because of the complexity of molecular interactions not only between the dye molecules but also between the dye molecules and matrix polymer molecules. In consideration of the strict criteria for the dyes and polymer matrices, mechanochromic fluorescent polymer blends are still rather limited.