Smart Rubber Promises Self-Mending Products

An anonymous reader writes "French scientists have developed a new rubber that can heal itself after being cut or broken. If two broken ends of the material are pushed together, and left for an hour, they join to become just as stretchy as before. There is even a video of the supposed creation in action. 'Regular rubber gets its strength from the fact that long chains of polymer molecules are coupled, or "crosslinked," in three different ways: through covalent, ionic, and hydrogen bonding between molecules. Of these three bond types, only the hydrogen bonds can be remade once a material is fractured, although normally there are not enough hydrogen bonds for the rubber to re-couple in this way. The solution devised by Leibler and colleagues is to simply get rid of the ionic and covalent bonds. They developed a transparent, yellowy-brown rubber in which crosslinking is performed only by hydrogen bonds.'"

Comments

Finally Recycling For The Common Man

[milsoRgen]

I can finally join the green revolution by reusing all those busted condoms from my over zealous love making sessions.

It's The Shit

[nick_davison]

The material is synthesised from fatty acids and urea. And if this isn't an argument why adding fiber to your diet is important, nothing'll convince you.

This is /.

[EmbeddedJanitor]

You've been misinformed. You don't need a condom for masturbation.

Re:This is /.

[milsoRgen]

You've been misinformed. You don't need a condom for masturbation. Don't underestimate the energy savings from not having to constantly wash your tube socks.

Cindy will be so happy!

[urcreepyneighbor]

Cindy, my air-filled life companion, will be relieved to hear of this development.

We have been plagued by punctures and tears for years. Neither of us have been satisfied with the make-do fix of duct tape and latex.

Thank you, science!

Re:No more condom breakage.

[RingDev]

I don't think I can think about baseball for an hour while it repairs itself though...

-Rick

This is madness.

[Anonymous Coward]

This time so-called "scientific progress" has gone too far. This shameless disregard for ionic and covalent bonds is unnatural and degrading to us all. Ionic and covalent bonds play a crucial role in vital processes of nature. They are found everywhere, from humble table salt, to the very carbon rings that are the basis of all life.

And now arrogant man sees fit to sacrifice these noble bonds for what, I ask? For a "self-healing rubber" of all things? This is a travesty. I hope all people who love and cherish our universe and the laws of nature will boycott this abominable substance.

What's your name, Sir?

[microbee]

Bond, Hydrogen Bond.

Re:Odd

[ShieldW0lf]

This is so stupid.

Even if you did have a rubber that repaired itself, it still wouldn't really be sanitary to use it.

Oy

[The End Of Days]

So many condom jokes, so little actual sex...

Re:Roads

[youthoftoday]

There's some way to incorporate this material into roadways that don't develop potholes. You're tired of paying for them--in wear and tear on your car and in taxes.

Re:Odd

[palegray.net]

Might be a good defense against a girlfriend or wife who decides to go poking pinholes in your rubbers, though... ;)

Re:No more condom breakage.

[st1d]

This is /. Static partners aren't a problem.

The fetishwear potential of this stuff

[Ungrounded Lightning]

... is mind-boggling.