The next time you get a new smartphone or laptop and accidentally drop it, instead of getting permanent cracks or damages to its plastic casing, your gadget might “bleed” and then heal itself. Researchers at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg recently announced a new type of plastic they claim can mimic the human skin’s ability to repair itself after being damaged. When scratched or cracked, the plastic turns red at the damaged area and then heals when exposed to light or significant changes in ambient temperature or pH. The new plastic was presented in a paper during the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
The substance doesn’t appear to be ready for commercial use just yet, but possible uses for the new material include tech gadgets, aviation and military equipment. Urban’s research is receiving funding from the Department of Defense.
Self-Healing iPhone Case
As for the “bloody” plastic, researchers are now working on using the technology in plastics that can stand up to high temperatures.
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