Gerald A. Miller, a UW physics professor, has found that the neutron has a negative charge both in its inner core and its outer edge, with a positive charge sandwiched in between to make the particle electrically neutral. Perhaps this is related to the understanding of the neutron as being composed of three quarks, one up quark with charge +2/3 and two down quarks, each with charge -1/3.
Maybe the strong force is just a result of a neutron looking like a neutral particle from a far distance, but having a much more intricate electrical profile when near another particle.
The three separate charges could look like a molecule and form something akin to bonds with nearby particles.
Just a thought.
Every particle is composed of quarks, which might have similar properties when particles come together.