Cellulose Liquid Crystal Elastomer

Naked-eye Stress Visualization

By leveraging a salt-induced Hofmeister effect to modulate the hydrogen-bond network, this cellulose elastomer achieves tunable mechanical properties and real-time naked-eye mechanochromic response, while degrading completely within 30 days in soil.

Sun, Jing · Wan, Zhangmin · Xinxin, Yan · Ge, Xuemei · Chu, Guang · Li, Lijie · Chen, Pan · Rojas, Orlando J. · Song, Junlong · Jin, Yongcan · Guo, Jiaqi

Nature Communications 2026

Advantages

Complete degradation within 30 days

Naked-eye mechanochromic response

Tunable elasticity