Butler Polymer Research Laboratory

Sumerlin and coworkers reported how controlled depolymerization of poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) with reactive chain ends can be used to selectively reshape molecular weight distributions in polymer blends. By mixing thermally active and inactive PBMA chains, the team was able to predictably shift material properties—such as viscoelasticity—through targeted depolymerization. This concept of “destructive strengthening” opens new design strategies for functional materials. As a creative demonstration, Morse code was encoded and revealed via molecular weight changes in polymer mixtures, hinting at future applications in information storage.