New superstrong flexible polymers inspired by oyster shells

Researchers at Columbia Engineering have demonstrated for the first time a new technique that takes its inspiration from the nacre of oyster shells, a composite material that has extraordinary mechanical properties, including great strength and resilience.
The study was led by Sanat Kumar, Bykhovsky Professor of Chemical Engineering.
“Our technique may improve the mechanical and potentially other physical properties of commercially relevant plastic materials, with applications in automobiles, protective coatings and food/beverage packaging,” says Kumar.
An article about the research is published in ACS Central Science (News Item Columbia University, 7 June 2017).
Click here for the news item.
Click here for the published article (3.75 MB).

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