In fact, finding materials that are both tough and strong is one of the biggest obstacles facing those who design everything from bridges to bicycles and bullet-proof vests.

But a new nanofiber from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) could be the well-rounded material long sought after by engineers. This structural nanofiber – a type of synthetic polymer related to acrylic – fulfills both the strength and toughness requirements needed for building objects that are simultaneously resilient and light-weight.