Water – from chemical disruptor to structural building block

In the development of water‑based materials, scientists often face a challenge: water disrupts the bonds between molecules. An international research team led by Prof. Dr Alex J. Plajer at the University of Bayreuth has now developed a material that incorporates water as an active structural component. In water, this material self‑assembles into nanofibres and forms hydrogels whose properties can be precisely tuned. The study demonstrates that water does not have to be a mere disruptive factor, but can instead be harnessed as a deliberate chemical design element.