Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > News > Mother-of-pearl inspires super-strong plastic

October 4th, 2007

Mother-of-pearl inspires super-strong plastic

Abstract:
A plastic made at room temperature from clay and a common ingredient of paint and glue is a strong as steel and a match for materials made using much higher temperatures.

The substance mimics the structure of mother-of-pearl, and its creators say further development of their new technique could provide lighter body armour, as well as aircraft and vehicle parts.

Engineer Nicholas Kotov and colleagues at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, US, have solved a problem that has baffled materials scientists for more than 30 years.

"When you tried to build something you can hold in your arms, there were difficulties transferring the strength of individual nanosheets or nanotubes to the entire material," Kotov explains.

Nanotubes and other structures have impressive mechanical strength, but getting them to take the strain in a composite material is not easy. Instead the other materials used to hold them together bear the brunt and buckle, snap or tear instead. The new material, however, is stiffer than any nanotube fibres made to date.

Source:
technology.newscientist.com

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

Discoveries

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

High-tech 'paint' could spare patients repeated surgeries March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Materials/Metamaterials/Magnetoresistance

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Focused ion beam technology: A single tool for a wide range of applications January 12th, 2024

Catalytic combo converts CO2 to solid carbon nanofibers: Tandem electrocatalytic-thermocatalytic conversion could help offset emissions of potent greenhouse gas by locking carbon away in a useful material January 12th, 2024

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project