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Nano-Chainmail 2D Mechanically Interlocked Polymer
A "nano-chainmail" created by Northwestern University researchers is a two-dimensional mechanically interlocked polymer that reproduces the flexibility of chainmail.
(X-shaped monomers are interlinked to create the first 2D mechanically interlocked polymer)
Mechanical bonds arise between molecules that contain interlocked subunits, such as one macrocycle threaded through another. Within polymers, these linkages will confer distinctive mechanical properties and other emergent behaviors, but polymerizations that form mechanical bonds efficiently and use simple monomeric building blocks are rare.In this work, we introduce a solid-state polymerization in which one monomer infiltrates crystals of another to form a macrocycle and mechanical bond at each repeat unit of a two-dimensional (2D) polymer. This mechanically interlocked 2D polymer is formed as a layered solid that is readily exfoliated in common organic solvents, enabling spectroscopic characterization and atomic-resolution imaging using advanced electron microscopy techniques.
The 2D mechanically interlocked polymer is easily prepared on multigram scales, which, along with its solution processibility, enables the facile fabrication of composite fibers with Ultem that exhibit enhanced stiffness and strength.
(Via Mechanically interlocked two-dimensional polymers.)A Northwestern University-led research team has achieved a remarkable feat of chemistry by creating the first two-dimensional (2D) mechanically interlocked material.
This nanoscale innovation, resembling the interlocking links of chainmail, boasts exceptional flexibility and strength. With further refinement, it shows great potential for applications in lightweight, high-performance body armor and other demanding uses that require materials to be both tough and flexible.
Published today (January 16) in the journal Science, the study establishes several key firsts in the field. This is not only the first-ever 2D mechanically interlocked polymer but also a material with an unprecedented density of 100 trillion mechanical bonds per square centimeter — the highest ever achieved. The research team accomplished this using a novel, efficient, and scalable polymerization process, paving the way for large-scale production.
“We made a completely new polymer structure,” said Northwestern’s William Dichtel, the study’s corresponding author. “It’s similar to chainmail in that it cannot easily rip because each of the mechanical bonds has a bit of freedom to slide around. If you pull it, it can dissipate the applied force in multiple directions. And if you want to rip it apart, you would have to break it in many, many different places. We are continuing to explore its properties and will probably be studying it for years.”
(Via SciTechDaily.)
In West of Honor (1976), science fiction writer Jerry Pournelle describes Nemourlon a special material for body armor described in the novel as "under license from DuPont":
Two developments brought the return of the long-range semiautomatic infantry rifle. The first was the development of first kevlar and then the much more efficient nemourlon body-armor. Nemourlon armor of reasonable weight resists penetration by most fragments and any bullet that is not both reasonably heavy and fairly high-velocity. Since modern body-armor covers head, neck, torso and most of the limbs, experiment has proven that a cartridge of at least 7x55 mm is necessary for adequate penetration...
Thanks to @nyrath of Atomic Rockets body armor page and @gatomon41 for their contributions to this story.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 1/17/2025)
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