In a serendipitous discovery, researchers have created a new class of materials called ‘glassy gels’ that are half liquid but hard to break.

Stretchy, strangely adhesive, and able to ‘self-heal’ if cut, the surprising properties of these gels potentially make them useful for a wider range of applications than commonly-used plastics, which are either hard and brittle or soft and easily torn.

The glassy gels are made using an ionic liquid, which is similar to water but made entirely of charged particles, allowing it to conduct electricity. When mixed with a polymer precursor the liquid pushes the polymer chains apart, making the material soft and stretchy. At the same time, the ions are also strongly attracted to the polymer chains, preventing them from separating.

The end result is that the material is hard due to the attractive forces, but is still capable of stretching due to the extra spacing.