This news could be rather significant.

[BSdetect]

https://scitechdaily.com/mit-engineers-create-the-impossible-new-material-that-is-stronger-than-steel-and-as-light-as-plastic/

Some info:

The new substance is the result of a feat thought to be impossible: polymerizing a material in two dimensions.

Using a novel polymerization process, MIT chemical engineers have created a new material that is stronger than steel and as light as plastic, and can be easily manufactured in large quantities.

The new material is a two-dimensional polymer that self-assembles into sheets, unlike all other polymers, which form one-dimensional, spaghetti-like chains. Until now, scientists had believed it was impossible to induce polymers to form 2D sheets.

Such a material could be used as a lightweight, durable coating for car parts or cell phones, or as a building material for bridges or other structures, says Michael Strano, the Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT and the senior author of the new study.

[JohnnyRingo]

1. So it's like powder coating.....

... but I assume more versatile as a stand alone production instead of a plating?
I'll go to the link for a deeper understanding.

Thanx for posting!

[Hortensis]

2. Wow! Sounds like another leap forward for sustainability.

Can't conceive of the ways this will change our world, become things we've never seen or used. But, could the impossible dream of raising children in a home with nice furniture that stayed nice actually become real?

[70sEraVet]

4. I am imagining a cheap, completely maintenance- free, rot-proof home!

[Hortensis]

5. At very least significant parts of them. Maybe between this and 3D printing,

someday when people call a moving company to pack up the house that's what they'll do.

[milestogo]

3. Aliens.

[surrealAmerican]

6. Textiles might be a good use for these too ...

... because they're very thin and completely waterproof.

[Hortensis]

7. Yes. I imagine there'll be a great deal of work on textures

and appearances. How many people'd want window sills that never had to be painted if they looked like melamine to begin with?

My grandsons already terrify me on skis. The thought of incredible strength and light weight brought sports immediately to mind. How much closer to flying might this bring them?

[The Jungle 1]

8. This does sound big.

[PatrickforB]

9. Pretty cool. But watch...the military will demand BILLIONS to re-armor tanks and such.

Because, hey, those shareholders in 'defense' company equities are HUNGRY for PROFITS.

[Wednesdays]

26. Just imagine its use in military aircraft

Bullet proof wings and fuselage and all.

[AnrothElf]

10. So... an even more indestructible substance

To mass produce and fill the oceans with

[Pantagruel]

16. Consider the downside?

How about this material could extend the useful life of wood made objects lowering the need to cut trees?

[AnrothElf]

23. Like Faust...

... humanity does not have a good record for using technology for the betterment of the world. The article mentioned making indestructible phone cases. If it's cheap enough to mass produce... It's cheap enough to make junk that will become indestructible litter

[empedocles]

25. Good point

[burrowowl]

11. Thanks for link

[ancianita]

12. Does it come from fossil fuel?

[liberalla]

18. Good question.

[ancianita]

20. I just found out it does. And while it's a cool building material, building infrastructure with

it seems to be a forever pollutant that the environment doesn't need any more of, imo.

I'd rather rebuild bridges with recycled materials, using even hemp for buildings, than keep that forever polymer that still hasn't gone through extreme weather trials that simulate what it might have to face with cascading climate disasters. Just sayin'.

[KS Toronado]

13. Sounds like the first step in affordable Flying Saucers for everyone.

[Bobstandard]

14. Carbon P. Dubbs !!! And the P stands for petroleum!

Now that’s a name with destiny attached. Of course there is a chair endowed in his name!

[FakeNoose]

15. Hmmmm ... if it can't be recycled, maybe it isn't so great

There are too many rusting car bodies in junkyards as it is, and they will eventually decompose. But indestructible materials never decompose, they last forever. Is our society will to reorder its priorities? Hmmmm....

[Pantagruel]

17. Not a word about cost of production?

Also guessing the Big Steel and Big Lumber cos. might try to stomp on this early?

[Takket]

19. that's the kicker isn't it?

If you need to use gold as a raw material and it takes 100 man hours to make a pound of it, it isn't really practical. I'm being facetious but just trying to illustrate that cost is a factor as well......

[drray23]

21. why would there be?

it's a very early stage. Basically, those are researchers who demonstrated on a small scale how to make this. It could be a long time before and if it is mass produced. It's not up to these researchers to figure out the cost of production since there are many factors that enters into that for which they would not have the expertise.

[Karadeniz]

22. I wonder what its environmental is, not that it could be worse than what we have! And what

happened to that substance that could eat plastic?

[RocRizzo55]

24. Polymer equals plastic.

Do we really need more plastic?