The Grainger College of Engineering

Self-healing materials

2/5/2014

Written by

Phys.Org (Sept. 4) -- Thanks to new dynamic materials developed at the University of Illinois, removable paint and self-healing plastics soon could be household products. According to U. of I. materials science and engineering professor Jianjun Cheng, the key advantage of using this material is that it's catalyst-free and low-temperature, and can be healed multiple times. After the polymer is cut or torn, the researchers press the two pieces back together and let the sample sit for about a day to heal – no extra chemicals or catalysts required. Also: Science Codex (Feb. 4), ScienceBlog (Feb. 4), Science 360 (NSF, Feb. 5), Business Standard (Feb. 5), plastemart.com (Feb. 5), ANI News (Feb. 6), Geek (Feb. 5), RedOrbit (Feb. 5), Overclockers Club (Feb. 5), Extreme Tech (New York City, Feb. 6), Gizmag (Melbourne, Australia, Feb. 6), Printed Electronics World (Cambridge, England, Feb. 13).

After the polymer is cut or torn, the researchers press the two pieces back together and let the sample sit for about a day to heal – no extra chemicals or catalysts required. The materials can heal at room temperature, but the process can be sped up by curing at slightly higher temperatures (37 degrees Celsius, or about body temperature).

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-02-off-the-shelf-materials-self-healing-polymers-video.html#jCp
Thanks to new dynamic materials developed at the University of Illinois, removable paint and self-healing plastics soon could be household products.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-02-off-the-shelf-materials-self-healing-polymers-video.html#jCp
Thanks to new dynamic materials developed at the University of Illinois, removable paint and self-healing plastics soon could be household products.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-02-off-the-shelf-materials-self-healing-polymers-video.html#jCp

Share this story

This story was published February 5, 2014.