Break the stem of a wine glass and it winds up in the trash.
The same goes for polymer-based composites, which are often used in planes or cars on account of their lightness.
Minor damage can usually be repaired, albeit at great expense. But with more serious breakages the materials lose their stability.
Now a Swiss startup, stemming from a research lab project, has taken the matter into their own hands. Their glass or carbon fiber composites contain a magical ingredient: a specific type of resin, which enables materials to repair themselves.
Heat triggers a physical mechanism in the resin, allowing the composite to return to its original condition up to 60 times.
Good for the wallet and the environment.
