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Nature Chemistry (19 June 2009) | doi:10.1038/nchem.291

Biomimetic polymers: Combining properties

Anne Pichon

Biopolymers can combine various mechanical properties — for example the protein titin, found in skeletal muscles, exhibits strength, toughness and elasticity. Such combinations, however, have proved particularly difficult to reproduce in synthetic polymers because different properties often originate from different molecular mechanisms.