An incredible scientific breakthrough! Researchers in the US have created a material with 100 trillion bonds, making it the strongest armor ever recorded.
Researchers at Northwestern University in the United States have announced the creation of a revolutionary material that promises to change the concept of resistance and flexibility in the shielding.
It is the first mechanically interconnected two-dimensional (2D) material, with an impressive density of 100 trillion mechanical bonds per square centimeter.
This advancement could pave the way for lighter, more highly resistant body armor, as well as other industrial armor applications.
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The idea behind mechanical bonds dates back to the 1980s, when chemist Fraser Stoddart introduced the concept. His contribution to science didn't stop there.
He expanded the use of these bonds in molecular machines, creating dynamic structures that enable functions such as contraction, expansion and rotation. These discoveries earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2016.
However, developing mechanically interconnected polymers was not an easy task. Decades of failed attempts marked the search for a viable solution.
According to William Dichtel, a professor at Northwestern and leader of the research, the main difficulty was creating rings large enough for other molecules to pass through them. “In organic chemistry, it is simple to form small rings with 5 to 8 atoms, but these do not work for our purpose.a”, he explained.
The Innovative Process
The key to success was a creative approach led by Madison Bardot, a doctoral student in Dichtel’s lab. She developed X-shaped monomers that organize themselves into ordered crystalline structures.
From there, other molecules created the mechanical bonds, resulting in interconnected 2D polymer sheets. This unique structure allowed for a previously unseen density of bonds.
A striking feature of the new material is its flexibility combined with strength. According to Dichtel, the polymer can bend under light forces, but becomes rigid when subjected to greater stress. This property, known as “strain hardening“, is crucial for applications that require high durability.
Another surprising detail is that the interconnected sheets can be separated by dissolving the polymer in solution. This makes handling easier and opens up possibilities for specific applications, something previously unattainable with such resistant materials.
Testing and future applications of shielding
The team’s tests also demonstrated how the material can be integrated with other compounds. In collaboration with researchers at Duke University, the new polymer was mixed with Ultem, a fiber in the same family as Kevlar.
Just 2,5% of the material was enough to dramatically improve Ultem's strength and toughness, making it ideal for armor and ballistic protection.
Furthermore, the team managed to synthesize almost half a kilo of the material, proving that the method is scalable. This advance is essential for the technology to be applied on a large scale.
overcoming challenges
The development of this polymer challenged even the most experienced scientists.”We needed a multidisciplinary team to prove that we actually had the interconnected structure we envisioned.“, Dichtel revealed. Chemists, polymer engineers and electron microscopy experts joined forces to understand and validate the material’s properties.
The ability to manipulate bonds at the molecular level opens a new chapter in materials science. In addition to its obvious application in armor, the polymer architecture has the potential to revolutionize industrial sectors, making equipment safer and more durable.
Although it is still in its early stages, this technology could redefine the concept of mechanical strength.
Very interesting news. New materials, new applications coming.
Great
Congratulations, we finally read promising news with application for an unimaginable horizon!