Super-Strong Material Inspired By Squid Teeth Is Self-Healing
The material after being cut and healed together again. Veikko Sariola et al, Scientific Reports, 2015 A team of researchers led by engineers from the University of Pennsylvania has created the first material that heals itself in the presence of water, according to a study published yesterday in Scientific Reports. The material, inspired by squid teeth, could be used to repair devices in water-filled environments that are difficult to access, such as the human body, or the bottom of the sea. The researchers had been studying squids' ring teeth, which are uniquely strong and can change phase from liquid to solid in the presence of water. After testing ring teeth samples from several species of squid found all over the world, the researchers uncovered the genetic code for the proteins that allow...