The rubber that stops cracks in their tracks

Modern manufacturing needs stiff rubbers that can resist deformation for components like shock absorbers and drive belts.

But the stiffer rubber becomes, the more likely it is to crack under stress, which is a tough problem for researchers; the point at which cracks begin to propagate under repeated stress, known as the fatigue threshold, has stayed the same for decades.

But now a team of researchers have created a new type of rubber with a fatigue threshold 10 times higher than before, by entangling polymers in the rubber’s structure.

[footfault]

A nice invention. Eco-friendly as well, I hope.

[rodox_sk]

Entangled spaghetti? Bro doing it wrong .

[perpetual_bias]

racing teams are drooling at the thought of this new rubber

[dziban]

20 years later we'll find out this new rubber is responsible for the bald eagle going extinct or something

[fredtatch]

Looks like great ligament material for building flying insect models

[AtlasReburdened]

Never is a pretty ambitious word. It's certainly not one I would include in the future facing statement for a product I developed, unless it's something obvious like a tungsten engine part that "will never melt at operating temperatures" or something like that. "Never wears out" though, geez, those words are like a playbook for making a product that doesnt live up to expectations.

[douglasharley]

*OH NOS!...* 🤦‍♂
- tire manufacturers, probably

[someguydino]

Wow; science is awesome! I understand that people in 3rd world countries routinely reuse their rubbers multiple times.
They wash them, hang them on a line to dry; then fold them up and the next time they are "feeling a little randy" they can "keep a rubber handy" .
This innovative, super durable rubber might mean that one day used rubbers will be handed down to the next generation.
It is incredible to consider that a young man could use the same rubber that his father used to avoid having more of his brothers and sisters.

[BLUYES]

this could help with artificial heart valves