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Self-Repairing Plastic

Posted by michael on from the mend-thyself dept.

mpark6288 writes "Recently, the news has been rocked by a discovery: Self-Repairing plastics. As News Factor: Sci Tech reports: "Chemical engineers are pushing plastics to new heights with two new developments: A material called Automend can restore itself to 60 percent of its previous strength and an organic plastic with magnetic properties can be controlled by light." Of course, this has frightening ramifications, as Jay Leno puts it: Cher could live forever."

2 of 14 comments (clear)

  1. Past /. story on 'self healing composites' by espee · · Score: 2, Interesting

    See this article, about fibrous materials with integrated, fungible glue capsules - so that each stress which breaks fibers also breaks the glue capsules to repair those fibers.

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    "We'll reach that bridge when we find it" - Suzy Romer, prime minister Netherlands Antilles '98-'99
  2. Gameboy screens and glasses! by Nyphur · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Self-repairing plastic could be used in windshields, but also glasses. Scratched and broken glasses are a good application.
    A better application would be the screen on a Gameboy, Gameboy Colour, Gameboy Advance etc. They constantly get scratched, so now all you need to do is heat it and it's "healed". Sounds good.

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