The researchers develop new methods to customize special armoured thermocouple

At the university of fribourg Adolphe Merkle institute ( AMI） And Japan Hokkaido university scientists have developed a technique to alter the nature of the stress indicator molecules, these molecules can be mixed with armoured thermocouple, and through the optical signals for damage or mechanical load is too large.

in the national energy research biological material research center to carry out the study, AMI, chairman of the institute of polymer chemistry and material Christoph Weder professor and his team have been studying the armoured thermocouple, the armored thermocouple in response to a mechanical action to change its color or fluorescence properties. Load.

implement the operation of the existing method based on the unique design of armoured thermocouple, it is composed of weak chemical bond, when applying the mechanical force of more than a specific threshold, the weak chemical bond rupture. This effect may lead to change color or other predefined response. However, the main drawback of this method is when exposed to heat or light, weak bond will be broken. Because of the lack of specificity, stress indicates the actual use is minimized armoured thermocouple. Moreover, it will usually make the effect is irreversible.

in order to solve this problem, Weder and Yoshimitsu Sagara, is a Japanese researcher Dr His Weder in AMI group work for two years, then as assistant professor in Hokkaido university, developed a new armoured thermocouple, can only use mechanical force stimulation.

compared with before the force transmission molecule, no chemical bond rupture. Instead, the new armoured thermocouple with mechanical interconnection of two parts. The interconnection to prevent separation of the two parts, at the same time will still be able to put them together to attract or repel each other. The molecular attraction and repulsion causes molecular fluorescent transfer from closed to open it.

in the open-access journal ACS Central Science in the new version, Weder, Sagara, and their colleagues, said the new idea is multi-functional and powerful.

as proposed by the new pattern of armoured thermocouple not fluoresce when there is no mechanical force, but when using only an armoured thermocouple they become bright fluorescent red, green or blue, they become white - when their combination When the extended. In the absence of chemical bond rupture, this process is completely reversible.

as a result, when the new armoured thermocouple has been integrated into the elastic armoured thermocouple and when it is extended, fluorescence was opened, and when the force is removed and the material shrinkage, close the fluorescence. In addition, the establishment of fluorescence intensity or brightness to related to the degree of deformation.

the promising application of these materials is integrated monitor, transmission visual warning signs before components to stop working, or allow engineers record load components of the stress and help them to better design. In addition, armoured thermocouple of synthetic materials and biological systems, the basis of the stress transfer mechanism in the molecular level research potential.

now, Switzerland - Japanese groups are hand in hand to make the design more simple, extending the concept to include change the color of material, rather than the fluorescence. Can be without any auxiliary method to check the pattern of response, so will be more valuable for practical applications.

the study by the Japan science and technology agency and the Swiss national biological inspired materials center funded the study. Relevant product recommendations: magnetic level gauge