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Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Covalent Attachment of Single Molecules for AFM-based Force Spectroscopy
Published on: March 16, 2020
Polymer Mechanochemistry: Force Enabled Transformations
Kelly M Wiggins1, Johnathan N Brantley1, Christopher W Bielawski1
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A1590, Austin, Texas 78712, United States.
Abstract:
In this viewpoint, we highlight the ability of mechanical force to overcome the limitations associated with using thermal or photochemical stimuli to facilitate chemical transformations. Emphasis will be directed toward examples of new chemical reactions that are accessed through externally applied mechanical forces, as these are illustrative of the emerging concept of using polymer chemistry to drive the synthesis of small molecules. In parallel, we offer perspectives on the potential applications of polymer mechanochemistry in the development of novel synthetic strategies.
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