The compleximer: New type of plastic mixes glass-like shaping with impact resistance

Researchers at Wageningen University & Research have developed a new type of plastic that, according to materials theory, should not be able to exist. Its properties sit somewhere between those of glass and plastic: it is easy to (re)shape, yet resistant to impact. This unusual combination is possible because the building blocks of the material are not held together by chemical bonds, but by physical forces. As a result, the material is easier to shape and repair than conventional plastics. The researchers have published their findings in Nature Communications.