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Self-healing rubber
Rubber is a soft material, capable of being subjected to 100 to 500% deformations and returning to its original shape and dimensions. This property is essentially reserved for macromolecular networks which are made up of long molecules (macromolecular chains) strongly linked together by chemical bonds.
Can rubber cut or torn be repaired using simple re-contacting at room temperature ? Yes ! answers a team from Paris. Using a system of small molecules of natural fatty acids, readily available and non toxic, linked together by weak bonds within a network, the researchers have created a material with rubber-like properties able to self-repair. Although these supramolecular rubbers are not adhesive, scientists have shown that after being cut, the surfaces stick back together if they are re-contacted, without any heat or pressure required. Once repaired, the sample is once more able to sustain significant deformation (100 to 400%) before it breaks again. The process can be repeated several times and, even more surprisingly, the repair can be performed several hours after the damage has occurred.
Arkema, the company with which this research has been conducted, currently produces this new material on an industrial scale for several applications : conveyor belts, gasket seals, shock absorbers, insulation and damping layers, professional gloves…
Laboratoire matière molle et chimie, CNRS-École supérieure de physique et de chimie industrielles de Paris
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