By imitating the molecular structure discovered in the conch shell, the researchers succeeded in producing a type of composite plastic that has a certain transparency and is as resistant as steel, which is called steel plastic.
Plastic steel
Although the new material is not strong enough to carry the name; Future developments could lead to lighter and stronger armor for soldiers and police to protect them and their vehicles. The material could also be used in microelectromechanical devices, microfluidics, biomedical sensors and drone valves. . Scientists have solved the problem that has plagued engineers for decades. Very small building blocks such as nanotubes, very small sheets and nanomills are very strong and durable, but the materials made from these parts were very weak in comparison. Scientists had many problems to transfer the strength of each sheet or part to the whole material. Finally, through the machine they invented, they were able to produce a new type of composite plastic that stacked very small layers one after another. This robotic machine has an arm that is stirring the molten glass shards, then it pours this material into a viscous polymer solution, and then it is placed in layers in a liquid that contains clay grains, and after that The layers dried, the process continues. This device places 300 layers of polymer solution and clay grains on top of each other in order to reach the thickness of a plastic layer. The curved halo line on the shells of sea shells and pearl oysters are layered similar to this process. It is one of the first natural mineral resists made.
Polyvinyl alcohol, which is used as an adhesive polymer in this experiment, is also very important. The combination of adhesive polymer and micro-produced sheets allows these layers to form common hydrogen chains that, if broken, can be rebuilt in another place, and is named the Velcro effect.
The first reason for the strength of these materials is the Velcro effect and the second reason is the arrangement of the layers. They are placed on top of each other like a brick wall and stuck together.
Translator: Athena Hassanabadi