Scientists Have Created a Material That Gets Thicker When It’s Stretched

It’s logical that when we stretch things they get thinner. However this isn’t the case universally, with some things, like cat skin, having “auxetic” stretching properties.

For the first time though, scientists have created a synthetic material that thickens as it is stretched. A kind of liquid crystal that has yet to be named is responsible for this somewhat freaky behaviour and scientists are now considering applications for it, such as body armour and medical equipment.

Scientists have been attempting to make a similar breakthrough for more than 30 years. Materials that behave in this way would be useful for energy absorption and reducing the risk of a fracture with a wide range of potential uses.

The new material is inherently auxetic, which means it’s not as complicated to fabricate. Other tests have resulted in materials that become porous when stretched – something which is undesirable.

The material is related to the technology found in televisions and phone screens. The liquid crystals are part solid and part liquid and they are able to form new properties when linked with polymer chains. Dr Devesh Mistry, the lead writer of the new report which is published in Nature Communications, said

This is a really exciting discovery, which will have significant benefits in the future for the development of products with a wide range of applications”.

The team used the equipment and expertise of the Leeds Electron Microscopy and Spectroscopy Centre to rigorously test the material. Dr Mistry confirmed that the team have already submitted on patent and were talking to potential partners about the next steps.

Source: Mirror