 The
plastic might one day be used for making artificial organs
A self-repairing
plastic "skin" has been developed and tested by US scientists.
The smart type of plastic, which automatically knits together
when cracked or broken, could one day be used to make artificial
organs.
The material
contains microcapsules filled with a special healing agent.
Like human
skin, it bleeds and heals itself, offering a potential breakthrough
in vital materials used in surgical implants. It could also prove
useful for making rocket and spacecraft components, which cannot
be repaired once they are in use.
Wear and tear
Plastics are
normally susceptible to cracking caused by vibration, bending,
and heat. Often the damage is deep within a structure, where it
is difficult to detect and repair.
But in fracture
tests, the new self-healing plastic regained 75% of its original
strength.
The technology could revolutionise the space industry
Scott White,
a member of the University of Illinois team that developed the
"skin", said: "When the material cracks, the microcapsules
rupture and release the healing agent into the damaged region
through capillary action."
The scientists
are now trying to modify the plastic so that it is suitable for
commercial use.
They believe
the technology could revolutionise the plastics industry, with
satellites, rocket motors and prosthetic organs prime candidates
for treatment.
The research
is reported in the journal Nature.
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