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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."

4 of 14 comments (clear)

  1. Automend Car Windsheilds please! by Zarf · · Score: 3, Insightful

    temperature required for Automend to heal -- between 240 degrees and 250 degrees Fahrenheit

    So it's not like the stuff magically heals itself or anything but I still want a windshield for my car made out of the stuff since it is transparent. My windshields always get cracked by rocks and gravel. Folks in cold climates will love it because they get heat and cold cracks on their windshields and with this stuff a hot clothes iron could heal it.

    I wonder how Automend would perform in Car accidents? If it shatters then you certainly don't want it for you car... cars use "saftey glass" to avoid that flesh ripping statter action.

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    1. Re:Automend Car Windsheilds please! by Doctor+Fishboy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      My only comment is that the repaired plastic would not be optically flat after the repair, and so after a few cracks you'd get optical distortions that would distract you when driving. Possibly another hazard in addition to the safety aspect?

  2. 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
  3. 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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