  Reversible covalent or supramolecular bonds play an important role in
materials science and in biological systems. The equilibrium between open and
closed bonds and the association rate can be controlled thermally, chemically,
by mechanical pulling, ultrasound or catalysts. In practice, these intrinsic
equilibrium methods either suffer from a limited range of tunability or may
damage the system. Here, we present a non-equilibrium strategy that exploits
the dissipative properties of the system to control and change the dynamic
properties of sacrificial and reversible networks. We show theoretically and
numerically how high-frequency mechanical oscillations of very low amplitude
can open or close bonds. This mechanism indicates how reversible bonds could
alleviate mechanical fatigue of materials especially at low temperatures where
they are fragile. In another area, it suggests that the system can be actively
modified by the application of ultrasound to induce gel-fluid transitions and
to activate or deactivate adhesion properties.
