Van der Waals strain

Van der Waals strain refers to the additional energy or distortion that occurs in a material due to the presence of Van der Waals forces when molecules are forced closer together or further apart than their preferred equilibrium distance. These forces are weak, intermolecular interactions that arise from temporary dipoles between molecules, and they play a significant role in the physical properties and stability of materials, particularly in non-covalently bonded systems like polymers, biological molecules, and layered materials.