Nature-Inspired Patterns Boost Polymer Toughness

Biological systems are renowned for their ability to create strong yet resilient structures. A sea sponge, for instance, grows in layers, forming unique patterns that integrate minerals with softer regions, creating an ideal balance of strength and flexibility.

 

“Nature has a way of turning brittle materials into tough ones through intricate patterning,” said Nancy Sottos, a researcher at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and head and Maybelle Leland Swanlund Endowed Chair in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “Patterned materials often contain both stiff and soft regions, allowing them to withstand high strains without breaking while maintaining impressive strength.”

 

A study published in Nature describes how Sottos and her colleagues used frontal polymerization, a process which uses heat to trigger a chemical reaction that forms polymers, to replicate nature’s approach.

 

In a 2021 study, Sottos and her colleagues established frontal polymerization as a reliable method to manufacture biologically inspired polymer materials. Now, their novel technique builds on this by allowing for the controlled formation of crystalline patterns in those materials, significantly enhancing toughness and durability.

 

“Nature captivates us with spontaneous patterns formed through dissipating processes, yet in the world of synthetic materials, we typically rely on precise, controlled methods to create structure,” said Beckman researcher Jeff Moore.

 

Moore, who is also the Stanley O. Ikenberry Research Professor and a professor emeritus of chemistry at Illinois, was pivotal in fine-tuning the chemical formulations that lead to the discoveries highlighted in the Nature paper.

 
“Our work demonstrates a new frontier — patterning materials without molds or milling, resulting in unique properties that arise from this added structure,” he said.