Scientists have created a “glassy gel”. It will be hard to break it

So far, glassy polymers and gels have stood a bit on the opposite side of the barricade. These are the first ones hard, stiff, but also fragile. Thanks to this, they work well, for example, in the production of water bottles. However, gels are soft and stretchy. A team of scientists from the USA decided to check whether their advantages could be combined into one supermaterial. That’s how they were created glassy gels.

It has more advantages

On the one hand, they are hard and durable. On the other hand, with enough force, they can be easily removed stretch up to five times their original length. This process can also be reversed by applying heat. This is not the end of the advantages. Alone the surface of the new material also shows high adhesion. However, the fact that it is over 50% liquid makes it so more efficient conductor of electricity.

According to Science Daily, to create such a gel, scientists start with liquid precursors of glassy polymers and mix them with an ionic liquid. This combined liquid is poured into a mold and exposed to ultraviolet light, which “hardens” the material. Finally, the mold is removed, leaving a glassy gel. Scientists indicate that due to the simple method of production of the new material, it will find wide and wide application, for example by simplifying the production process of things made of polymers. Currently, it sometimes requires creating this type of solutions in one place and then transporting it to another factory where the final product is formed.