Lightweight and stronger than steel

Using a novel polymerization process, chemical engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created a material that is stronger than steel and as light as plastic and can be manufactured easily in large quantities.

The new material is a two-dimensional polymer that self-assembles into sheets, unlike all other polymers, which form one-dimensional, spaghettilike chains. Until now, scientists had believed that it was impossible to induce polymers to form 2D sheets.

Such a material could be used as a lightweight, durable coating or as a building material, said Michael Strano, Carbon P. Dubbs professor of chemical engineering at MIT and senior author of the study.

“We don’t usually think of plastics as being something that you could use to support a building, but with this material you can enable new things,” he said. “It has very unusual properties, and we’re very excited about that.”

The researchers have filed for two patents on the process used to generate the material. MIT postdoc Yuwen Zeng is lead author of the study.

The new material is a two-dimensional polymer that self-assembles into sheets and could be used as a lightweight, durable coating or as a building material. Polymer film courtesy of the researchers; Christine Daniloff, MIT

Polymers, which include all plastics, consist of chains of building blocks called monomers. These chains grow by adding molecules onto their ends. Once formed, polymers can be shaped into three-dimensional objects using injection molding.