Sottos, Nancy

One major problem with structural materials is that they crack and weaken as they age. The human body has mechanisms for healing itself if the skin is cut or a bone is broken. However, inanimate materials have had no such mechanisms— until now. Scientists at the University of Illinois at Ur-bana-Champaign (UIUC) have invented a plastic that automatically heals microscopic cracks before they can develop into large cracks that would degrade the usefulness of the material. This accomplishment was achieved by an interdisciplinary team of scientists including aeronautical engineering professors Scott White and Philippe Geubelle, applied mechanics professor Nancy Sottos, and chemistry professor Jeffrey Moore. 

Scott R. White Nancy R. Sottos Jeffrey S. Moore Paul V. Braun... 

Nancy R. Sottos, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, Self-Healing Polymers... 

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