New Self-Healing Material Could Extend Life of Planes, Cars by Centuries
Summary
Scientists in the United States have created a new self-healing material that can repair damage inside fiber composites used in planes, cars, and other structures. This material can fix cracks many times, which could extend the life of these parts from decades to centuries.Key Facts
- The new material is a fiber composite that repairs a type of internal damage called delamination.
- Delamination causes layers inside composites to separate, reducing strength.
- The material can heal itself more than 1,000 times, extending durability.
- It includes a special thermoplastic layer (made from EMAA) that prevents cracks.
- Thin carbon-based heaters embedded in the material melt the thermoplastic to repair damage when electrical current passes.
- The material starts tougher than standard composites and resists cracking better.
- Researchers estimate that parts made with this material could last about 125 years with regular healing or up to 500 years with less frequent healing.
- This technology could reduce waste by allowing critical parts to be repaired rather than replaced.
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