As light as plastic and as strong as steel. An innovative material from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a new material that until now was considered impossible to create.

It is a polymer called 2DPA-1 that self-assembles into sheets. This assembly takes place in a special solution, and the creators have already patented the process they used to make the material. All previously known polymers could form only one-dimensional chains.

The main properties of the new material are its low weight, high strength, and ease of production. Consider this: deforming it requires four to six times more force than bulletproof glass, or twice as much as steel. And that is at the same weight as plastic; in other words, its density is six times lower than that of steel.

Another key feature of the new material is its impermeability to gases. It consists of monomers joined together in such a way that molecules cannot pass between them. This will make it possible to create ultra-thin coatings that completely prevent the penetration of water or gases.

The idea that we will be able to build sturdy houses out of plastic may seem too bold, but given its claimed characteristics, the potential range of applications for 2DPA-1 could be very wide, from coating car parts and phones to building bridges, buildings, and more.