MIT uses sacrificial bonds to toughen plastics for impact-resistant electronics, tires

MIT chemists discovered that adding intentionally weak "sacrificial" chemical bonds to plastics makes them far more impact-resistant. When struck, these bonds break first, absorbing destructive energy while protecting the surrounding material. The technology could create blowout-resistant tires and tougher phone cases, potentially reducing tire-related microplastics, which account for 10% of global microplastic pollution.