Mechanochromic Fluorescent Ionogels for Puncture‐Resistant Soft Materials with Real‐Time Stress Mapping

Abstract

ABSTRACT Ionogels, polymer networks swollen with ionic liquids, have emerged as promising candidates for soft robotics and biomedical devices. However, their resistance to stress corrosion, a critical yet underexplored failure mechanisms, remains poorly understood. Here, we developed mechanochromic fluorescent ionogels that simultaneously achieve excellent puncture resistance and real‐time, molecular‐level stress mapping. Incorporating rhodamine mechanophores as force‐sensitive crosslinkers using the in situ micellar copolymerization method endows the ionogels with tunable mechanical properties, including toughness up to 51.1 MJ·m −3 and puncture resistance exceeding 50 N. In addition, pixel‐level stress mapping during puncture enables real‐time visualization of crack initiation and propagation, uncovering how indenter geometries, interfacial friction, and puncture rate govern puncture mechanics. This work establishes a platform for probing localized large stress and failure mechanisms in soft matter, paving the way for next‐generation protective membranes for biomedical and engineering applications.