SMRTR Science & EngineeringNov 27, 2024Interesting Engineering

New polymer design breaks 200-year-old barrier, stretches 40x without losing strength

SMRTR summary

University of Virginia researchers developed "foldable bottlebrush polymer networks" that can stretch up to 40 times their original length without losing strength, overcoming the traditional trade-off between stiffness and stretchability. This innovation features a foldable backbone with flexible side chains and could revolutionize healthcare, robotics, and wearable electronics. The versatile, 3D-printable design has potential applications in medical devices, prosthetics, and soft robotics.

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