{"id":13064,"date":"2022-04-27T06:05:07","date_gmt":"2022-04-27T12:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulprospector.com\/knowledge\/?p=13064"},"modified":"2022-10-06T08:29:58","modified_gmt":"2022-10-06T14:29:58","slug":"pe-super-strong-mit-researchers-develop-a-new-type-of-lightweight-plastic-and-a-novel-plant-based-composite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/13064\/pe-super-strong-mit-researchers-develop-a-new-type-of-lightweight-plastic-and-a-novel-plant-based-composite\/","title":{"rendered":"Super Strong: MIT Researchers Develop a New Type of Lightweight Plastic and a Novel, Plant-Based Composite"},"content":{"rendered":"

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology continue to innovate when it comes to creating new materials. Two different groups of chemical engineers at MIT recently revealed their respective work\u2013\u2013 one involving a new type of lightweight, super-strong plastic, and the other a composite made mostly from\u00a0cellulose nanocrystals mixed with a bit of synthetic polymer.<\/p>\n

\"Image
The new 2DPA-1 material is a two-dimensional polymer that self-assembles into sheets and could be used as a lightweight, durable coating for car parts or cell phones or as a building material for bridges or other structures. The polyaramide is said to be easily processable in solution. Credit: Polymer film courtesy of the researchers; Christine Daniloff, MIT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first project involves using a novel polymerization process to create a new material that the researchers say is stronger than steel, as light as plastic and can be easily manufactured in large quantities. It is a two-dimensional polymer that self-assembles into a sheet called a polyaramide.<\/p>\n

This is unlike all other polymers, which form one-dimensional, spaghetti-like chains. Until now, states MIT, scientists had believed it was impossible to induce polymers to form 2D sheets.<\/p>\n

This entirely new type of plastic, which they\u2019ve given the snappy name of 2DPA-1, is twice as strong as steel under load tests, with just one-sixth the material bulk, according to Michael Strano, the Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT and the senior author of the new study<\/a>, which was published on Feb. 2 in the journal Nature<\/em>. MIT postdoctoral fellow Yuwen Zeng is the study\u2019s lead author.<\/p>\n

The researchers \u2013\u2013 who have filed for two patents on the process they used to generate the material \u2013\u2013 say the material also can conduct electricity and block gas. Such a material, notes Strano, could be used as a lightweight, durable coating for car parts or cell phones or as a building material for bridges or other structures.<\/p>\n

In an interview<\/a> with Fast Company<\/em>, Strano explains it this way: \u201cThink of a plate of spaghetti: The sauce goes deep inside.\u201d 2DPA-1, on the other hand, arranges its polymers as flat discs rather than 3D spaghetti, he continued. Laid out like a one-molecule-thick sheet of paper, these discs link to one another with the strongest molecule-to-molecule bond in nature: the hydrogen bond. Strano compared it to \u201c2D Kevlar.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another big potential advantage of 2DPA-1 is that it can be bulk produced relatively easily, in much the same manner as other plastics. Because the material self-assembles in solution, it can be made in large quantities by simply increasing the quantity of the starting materials.<\/p>\n

All about cellulose nanocrystals<\/h3>\n
\"\"
A new, CNC-based, woody composite, engineered by MIT researchers. This image shows a tooth printed by the team, sitting on a background of wood cells. Credit: MIT News, MIT researchers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Meanwhile, elsewhere at MIT, A. John Hart and his team published\u00a0the results\u00a0of their composites work on Feb. 10 in the journal\u00a0Cellulose.<\/em> Hart is a professor of mechanical engineering, director of MIT\u2019s Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity, and director of its Center for Additive and Digital Advanced Production Technologies<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He and his research group<\/a> have engineered a composite that consists of 60-90% cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) \u2014 said to be the highest fraction of CNCs achieved in a composite to date.<\/p>\n

They state in their report<\/a> that \u201cDue to their exceptional mechanical and chemical properties and their natural abundance, cellulose nanocrystals are promising building blocks of sustainable polymer composites. However, the rapid gelation of CNC dispersions has generally limited CNC-based composites to low CNC fractions, in which polymer remains the dominant phase. Here we report on the formulation and processing of crosslinked CNC-epoxy composites with a CNC fraction exceeding 50 wt%.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hart and his team say the new cellulose-based composite is stronger and tougher than some types of bone and harder than typical aluminum alloys, such as DuPont\u2019s Kevlar aramid fiber. They add that their recipe for this composite can be fabricated using both 3D printing and conventional casting. Essentially, the team said, they \u201cbasically deconstructed wood, and reconstructed it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The researchers\u2019 goal was to develop a composite with a high fraction of CNCs that they could shape into strong, durable forms. Composites World<\/em> quoted Hart as saying that \u201cBy creating composites with CNCs at high loading, we can give polymer-based materials mechanical properties they never had before. If we can replace some petroleum-based plastic with naturally derived cellulose, that\u2019s arguably better for the planet as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Prospector can help you find the materials you need for your next project with premium search tools.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be able to filter your search results using 600+ property types or look for biopolymers. Upgrade today<\/a> to leverage these features on your next search.<\/h3>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology continue to innovate when it comes to creating new materials. Two different groups of chemical engineers at MIT recently revealed their respective work\u2013\u2013 one involving a new type of lightweight, super-strong plastic, and … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":13066,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[607,21],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[1244],"class_list":{"0":"post-13064","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles","8":"category-plastics-2","9":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nMIT Researchers Develop a New Type of Lightweight Plastic<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"MIT engineers reveal a new lightweight, super-strong plastic, and a composite made mostly from\u00a0cellulose nanocrystals with synthetic polymer.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/13064\/pe-super-strong-mit-researchers-develop-a-new-type-of-lightweight-plastic-and-a-novel-plant-based-composite\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"MIT Researchers Develop a New Type of Lightweight Plastic\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"MIT engineers reveal a new lightweight, super-strong plastic, and a composite made mostly from\u00a0cellulose nanocrystals with synthetic polymer. 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A long-time affiliate member of the Industrial Designers Society of America, Bob has organized numerous design-focused events, earned a Personal Recognition Award from IDSA in 2013, and constantly strives to help bridge the gap between the design and manufacturing communities. In 2014 he left Crain and created RC Grace LLC in Akron, Ohio, as a consultancy that aims to help companies to enhance their branding and market presence, find business partners, connect with design resources (here or in Asia), secure funding and advance their growth initiatives. Email Bob or visit his website at www.rcgrace.com to learn more about how he can help you.","sameAs":["http:\/\/ulprospector.com"],"url":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/author\/robert-grace\/"}]}},"authors":[{"term_id":1244,"user_id":23,"is_guest":0,"slug":"robert-grace","display_name":"Bob Grace","avatar_url":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/media\/2017\/10\/Robert-Grace_avatar_1508791447-96x96.jpg","author_category":"1","first_name":"Robert","last_name":"Grace","user_url":"http:\/\/ulprospector.com","job_title":"","description":"<p>Robert Grace has been in business-to-business communications his entire career. He has broad global experience and for more than 35 years has worked as a journalist, editor-in-chief, publishing executive and key connector of like-minded parties. He has launched successful publications and C-level events on three continents.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>While with Crain Communications Inc., he oversaw the relaunch of the 100-year-old <em>European Rubber Journal<\/em> in London and helped to start <em>Urethanes Technology<\/em> magazine there. \u00a0In 1988 Bob returned to Akron, Ohio, to serve as founding editor of <em>Plastics News<\/em>, an award-winning, weekly business newspaper. In 2005 he oversaw the editorial launch of the bilingual (Chinese and English) <em>PN China<\/em> e-newsletter and website. For more than a decade at <em>PN<\/em> he also held the titles of associate publisher, editorial director and conference director, and most recently served as business development director.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>A long-time affiliate member of the Industrial Designers Society of America, Bob has organized numerous design-focused events, earned a Personal Recognition Award from IDSA in 2013, and constantly strives to help bridge the gap between the design and manufacturing communities.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>In 2014 he left Crain and created RC Grace LLC in Akron, Ohio, as a consultancy that aims to help companies to enhance their branding and market presence, find business partners, connect with design resources (here or in Asia), secure funding and advance their growth initiatives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><a href=\"mailto:bob@rcgrace.com\">Email Bob<\/a> or visit his website at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rcgrace.com\/\">www.rcgrace.com<\/a> to learn more about how he can help you.<\/p>"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13064"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13064\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13066"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13064"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=13064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}