A new metal-elastomer composite automatically self-heals by creating new electrical connections that bypass damaged areas. The material, which repairs itself in a process that is somewhat analogous to plasticity in nervous tissue, might be used to make stretchable circuits, soft machines, bio-inspired robots and wearable electronics that won’t suddenly fail when mechanically damaged.
“I’ve always been fascinated by neuroplasticity and the way that neurons can form new synaptic networks to bypass diseased or damaged tissue,” says Carmel Majidi from Carnegie Mellon University in the US, who led this research effort. “While we haven’t fully mimicked neuroplasticity here, this process was a helpful source of inspiration for developing and understanding our material.”
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