This New Composite Heals Itself 1,000 Times

Self-healing composites have been talked about for years, but sometimes a piece of research comes along that looks meaningfully different. This week, Andrew Tomaswick, a science journalist, joins the show to discuss his recent article, "The Composite That Heals Itself 1,000 Times." It highlights a self-healing composite material developed by researchers at North Carolina State University that can repair damage repeatedly, over 1,000 cycles.  It incorporates a 3D-printed thermoplastic healing agent with embedded carbon-based heaters that, when heated, melt the agent into cracks and restore the composite's structural integrity. It's a process that proved effective over many intentional break-and-repair tests. Andy is a writer at Universe Today and has been interested in space exploration ever since reading Pale Blue Dot in middle school. An engineer by training, he likes to focus on the practical challenges of space exploration, whether that's getting rid of Perchlorates on Mars or making ultra-smooth mirrors to capture ever clearer data.