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The correlation of mechanical properties of polymer materials with those of their molecular constituents is the foundation for their holistic comprehension and eventually for improved material designs and syntheses. Over the last decade, optical force probes (OFPs) were developed, shedding light on various unique mechanical behaviors of materials. The properties of polymers are diverse, ranging from soft hydrogels to ultra‐tough composites, from purely elastic rubbers to viscous colloidal solutions, and from transparent glasses to super black dyed coatings. Only very recently, researchers started to develop tailored OFP solutions that account for such material requirements in energy (both light and force), in time, and in their spatially detectable resolution. We here highlight notable recent examples and identify future challenges in this emergent field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, polymer mechanochemistry has evolved as a methodology to provide insights into the action‐reaction relationships of polymers and polymer‐based materials and composites in terms of macroscopic force application (stress) and subsequent deformation (strain) through a mechanophore‐assisted coupling of mechanical and chemical phenomena. The perplexity of the process, however, from the viewpoint of mechanophore activation via a molecular‐scaled disruption of the structure that yields a macroscopically detectable optical signal, renders this otherwise rapidly evolving field challenging. Motivated by this, we highlight here recent advancements of polymer mechanochemistry with particular focus on the establishment of methodologies for the efficient activation and quantification of mechanophores and anticipate to aptly pinpoint unresolved matters and limitations of the respective approaches, thus highlighting possible developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemiluminescence, fluorescence, mechanochemistry, polymers, sensors Keywords: chemiluminescence; fluorescence; mechanochemistry; polymers; sensors EN chemiluminescence fluorescence mechanochemistry polymers sensors 15823 15823 1 11/19/21 20211117 NES 211117 B As potential analytical tools b for collecting and mapping mechanical information in polymer materials, optical force probes (OFPs) have been developed over the last decade. [Extracted from the article]

Chemiluminescence, fluorescence, mechanochemistry, polymers, sensors Keywords: chemiluminescence; fluorescence; mechanochemistry; polymers; sensors EN chemiluminescence fluorescence mechanochemistry polymers sensors 1 1 1 11/19/21 20211117 NES 211117 B Optical force probes (OFPs) b shine light on various unique mechanical behaviors of materials and allow the correlation of macroscopic mechanical properties with those of their molecular constituents. [Extracted from the article]