Quick Summary
Additional Context
A new study in Science Advances finds that a rubbery material first engineered for 3D printing may resolve a problem that has long dogged materials science: producing printable elastomers that are simultaneously tough and durable.
Researchers at EPFL’s Soft Materials Laboratory (SMaL) report that the same architecture giving their double network granular elastomers (DNGEs) exceptional printability carries an unexpected bonus, strong resistance to both fracture and fatigue. That pairing is rare, since elastomers built to resist fracture tend to degrade under repeated stress, shortening their useful life, while fatigue-resistant ones often snap when overstretched or jolted.
The SMaL team, part of EPFL’s School of Engineering, first introduced DNGEs in 2024: flexible, rubber-like materials