An INSIDER story this month highlighted how researchers from RPI and the University of Washington have created a composite that reverses fatigue damage — after applying some heat.

The material — part of a class of carbon-reinforced structures known as vitrimers — has both solid and fluid properties. Unlike thermosets, which are held together and "set" with epoxy, vitrimers can be linked and unlinked, and therefore recycled. (Learn more.)

“We envision that these materials would have a wide range of applications, especially in applications where we can replace traditional thermosets,” University of Washington Prof. Aniruddh Vashisth told Tech Briefs. “These would include aerospace and automotive industry, protective coatings, or adhesives. With significant push towards sustainability, we think automotive and aerospace industries could be the first movers for these materials.”

What do you think? Will Automotive and Aerospace Industries Adopt Self-Healing Composites?

What do you think?