Controlled crystallisation leads to plastic that mimics natural phenomena

The research at The University of Texas at Austin, the first using light and a catalyst to change properties such as hardness and elasticity in molecules of the same type, is said to have brought about a new material that is 10 times as tough as natural rubber.  The team’s findings are published in Science.

“This is the first material of its type,” said Zachariah Page, assistant professor of chemistry and corresponding author on the paper. “The ability to control crystallisation, and therefore the physical properties of the material, with the application of light is potentially transformative for wearable electronics or actuators in soft robotics.”

In living organisms, structures often combine attributes including strength and flexibility. When researchers use a mix of different synthetic materials to mimic these attributes, materials often fail, coming apart and ripping at the junctures between different materials.

“Oftentimes, when bringing materials together, particularly if they have very different mechanical properties, they want to come apart,” Page said in a statement. Page and his team were able to control and change the structure of a plastic-like material, using light to alter how firm or stretchy the material would be.