Université de Fribourg

Triggered metal ion release and oxidation: ferrocene as a mechanophore in polymers

Giannantonio, Michela Di ; Ayer, Mathieu A. ; Verde-Sesto, Ester ; Lattuada, Marco ; Weder, Christoph ; Fromm, Katharina M.

In: Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2018, vol. 57, no. 35, p. 11445-11450

The introduction of mechanophores into polymers makes it possible to transduce mechanical forces into chemical reactions that can be used to impart functions such as self‐healing, catalytic activity, and mechanochromic response. Here, an example of mechanically induced metal ion release from a polymer is reported. Ferrocene (Fc) was incorporated as an iron ion releasing mechanophore into...

Université de Fribourg

Light-responsive azo-containing organogels

Ayer, Mathieu A. ; Schrettl , Stephen ; Balog, Sandor ; Simon, Yoan C. ; Weder, Christoph

In: Soft Matter, 2017, vol. 13, no. 22, p. 4017-4023

While azo compounds are widely employed as radical initiators, they have rarely been used as stimuli-responsive motifs in macromolecular constructs. In this study, an azo-based cross-linker was prepared and reacted with poly(vinyl alcohol) to afford a series of stimuli-responsive organogels. Irradiation of these materials with UV light causes de-cross-linking and triggers a solid-to-liquid phase...

Université de Fribourg

Azo-Containing Polymers with Degradation On-Demand Feature

Ayer, Mathieu A. ; Simon, Yoan C. ; Weder, Christoph

In: Macromolecules, 2016, vol. 49, p. 2917–2927

Molecules comprising aliphatic azo moieties are widely used as radical polymerization initiators, but only a few studies have explored their usefulness as stimuli-responsive motifs in macromolecular constructs. The controlled degradation of azo-containing polymers has indeed remained largely unexplored. Here we present the syntheses of linear azo-containing polyamides and polyurethanes and...