A new discovery by a team of researchers from the United States and Switzerland could mean that scratches on your new car could repair themselves. The team developed a polymer-based material that can heal itself with the help of ultraviolet light. The material, called “metallo-supramolecular polymers”, is capable of becoming a supple liquid that can fill crevasses and gaps left by scrapes and scuffs when placed under UV light, and will then resolidify. Andrew Lovinger, the polymers program director in the National Science Foundation’s Division of Materials Research, said, “This is ingenious and transformative materials research. It demonstrates the versatility and power of novel polymeric materials to address technological issues and serve society while creating broadly applicable scientific concepts.” The scientists envision their discovery being used primarily as coatings for consumer goods such as automobiles, floors and furniture. The team also found that the durability of the material does not seem to be compromised by repeated injuries. The team’s next step will be to design a coating that would be more applicable in an industrial setting. Their findings were detailed in the journal Nature. The article can be viewed online at the link below.
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=119294&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click