Polymers with autonomous life-cycle control

Jason F. Patrick, Maxwell J. Robb, Nancy R. Sottos, Jeffrey S. Moore and Scott R. White ()
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Jason F. Patrick: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Maxwell J. Robb: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Nancy R. Sottos: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jeffrey S. Moore: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Scott R. White: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Nature, 2016, vol. 540, issue 7633, 363-370

Abstract: Abstract The lifetime of man-made materials is controlled largely by the wear and tear of everyday use, environmental stress and unexpected damage, which ultimately lead to failure and disposal. Smart materials that mimic the ability of living systems to autonomously protect, report, heal and even regenerate in response to damage could increase the lifetime, safety and sustainability of many manufactured items. There are several approaches to achieving these functions using polymer-based materials, but making them work in highly variable, real-world situations is proving challenging.

Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1038/nature21002

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