Mechanochromic materials have recently received tremendous attention because of their potential applications in humanoid robots, smart windows, strain sensors, anti-counterfeit tags, etc. However, improvements in device design are highly desired for practical implementation in a broader working environment with a high stability. In this article, a novel and robust mechanochromism was designed and fabricated via a facile method. Silica nanoparticles (NPs) that serve as a trigger of color switch were embedded in elastomer to form a bi-layer hybrid film. Upon stretching under ambient conditions, the hybrid film can change color as well as transparency. Furthermore, it demonstrates excellent reversibility and reproducibility and is promising for widespread application.

A series of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymer/poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT)/acrylonitrile-styrene-glycidyl methacrylate (ASG) blends with various compositions were prepared and characterized in this study. When the fraction of ABS exceeds a critical value there is a rapid increase in notched impact strength of ABS/PBT blends no matter whether the compatibilizer ASG is present. By combining morphology observation and notched impact results, we found that the ductile-brittle transition of the blends is closely related to the morphology inversion. The notched impact strength jumps from 15.9 to 33.4 kJ/m 2 when phase inversion of ABS occurs at its fraction of 58 wt %. Accordingly, a possible toughening mechanism involved in the blends is proposed on the basis of a careful analysis of fracture energy, crack propagation behavior and fracture surface morphology. It is believed that the continuous ABS phase plays the critical role in toughening ABS/PBT blends.

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Organic nano-silica was firstly synthesized by sol-gel method with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl acrylate (BA) in the micelles as dispersing media, tetraethoxysilicate (TEOS) as precursor, hydrochloric acid as catalyst and methacryloylpropyl trimethoxysilane (A174) as modifier. Subsequently, the nano-silica/polyacrylate composite emulsions were directly prepared by in-situ emulsion polymerization under the action of the initiator. The structure and properties were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light-scattering (DSL), thermogracvimetry (TG) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that A174-modified nano-silica was successfully synthesized in the acrylate-based emulsions by the sol-gel method. The nano-silica was encapsulated by polyacrylate, and the composite latex particles exhibited an apparent core-shell structure. The A174 could improve the lipophilicity of nano-silica and increase the grafting efficiency of polyacrylate on nano-silica particles. The nano-silica/polyacrylate composite latex film had better thermal stability, and the composite latex particles had greater average size and broader size distribution in contrast to those of pure polyacrylate emulsions.