Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur developed a material that could repair cracked mobile phone screens in less than a second.
The material converts mechanical energy to electrical energy and vice versa, which produces needle-shaped crystals of less than 2 by 0.2 millimeters. Their specific molecular arrangement generates a strong attractive force that binds the crystals together.
Every time a fracture occurs, the attractive force joins the pieces back again, without needing any external stimulus or energy.
Additionally, the self-healing material is 10 times harder than others, and it has an internal structure that is suitable for most electronics and optical applications.
For example, the material could be used for mobile phone screens that will repair themselves almost instantly if they fall and develop cracks.
How would you like a mobile phone or a watch that self-repairs its own screen in a matter of seconds and without you needing to do anything? What other devices could benefit from this material? Please let us know in the comments below.