Demonstration of the autonomic-healing process. A crack, propagating from the bottom of the page, ruptures embedded microcapsules releasing red-dyed healing agent. The black particles are embedded catalyst. As healing agent contacts the catalyst, polymerization is triggered, bonding the crack faces closed. This research is described in the report from Nature on "Self-Healing Polymers and Other Improved Materials."
Cover image by Eric N. Brown (from the Self-Healing Polymer Composite Project headed by Scott White at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).
The cover was designed by Betsy True.
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