10-06-2017, 07:03 AM
Abstract
Self- healing is the ability to repair damage in an automatic and specific fashion without manual intervention.
If humans plan to travel far into space and to planets, new advanced technologies will be required for the construction of spacecrafts. One weakness of current materials used for construction is that they form hairline cracks, which causes massive damage over a long period of time.
Damage begins as tiny surface cracks which are invisible to the naked eye. These cracks grow until the material weakens and cracks.
In 2001, researchers at university of llinios developed a new synthetic material that will heal itself when cracked or broken. This material can be used for constructing spacecrafts, which can traverse millions of miles without incurring any damage.