| Abstract Scope |
Structural materials in biology can heal fractures at room temperature, whereas metals require elevated temperatures and large energy inputs. Manmade structural materials that could heal like bone would have several advantages, including: composite materials integrated with polymers or electronics could be repaired without damage, new design approaches that allow for increased part versatility and service life, and increased sustainability. A major challenge has been realizing structural metals that can be effectively healed autonomically near room temperature.
We have recently demonstrated effective, low-energy, and room-temperature healing of polymer-coated cellular metals using electrochemistry, which mimics the transport-mediated healing of bone. Using this strategy, fractured samples recovered 100% of their tensile strength in 4 hours of healing. In this presentation, I will discuss the advantages and challenges associated with electrochemical healing of metals, share results for repairing steel and nickel samples, and present future design strategies for repairing structural metals. |