Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a kind of heavy-duty plastic.
The corresponding study was published in the journal Nature .
A new type of polymer material was named 2DPA-1. According to experts, it is about twice as strong as steel and resembles Kevlar in structure, does not conduct electricity and does not come into contact with gases. According to MIT professor Michael Strano, on a molecular scale plastics consist of wavy molecules, the gaps between which negatively affect the strength of the material.
The composition of 2DPA-1 consists of a kind of flat disks that are connected by a hydrogen bond — the strongest intermolecular bond in nature. "Theoretically, you can fold these sheets over and over again to make ultralight and durable building materials that will be stronger than steel," Strano said.
According to the scientist, the most suitable field of application of heavy—duty plastic is barrier coatings. Since 2DPA-1 does not pass gases, it can act as a very reliable material and be implemented in the form of paint or industrial coatings. "Higher-quality plastic can allow us to produce less plastic," the journalists noted.
