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23/05/2008
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Composite aircraft parts could repair themselves in a similar manner to that employed by animals and plants, according to Dr Ian Bond, heading up a project to develop the technology to do this at Bristol University
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The method being developed allows epoxy resin from embedded vessels to bleed into neighbouring defects, sealing it up. By mixing dye with the resin, any self mends could be made to show up as coloured patches that could subsequently be pin pointed for permanent repairs.
The epoxy is contained in hollow fibres, which has been suggested before, but Dr Bond says “This project represents just the first step. We are also developing systems where the healing agent isn’t contained in individual glass fibres but actually moves around as part of a fully integrated vascular network, just like the circulatory systems found in animals and plants. Such a system could have its healing agent refilled or replaced and could repeatedly heal a structure throughout its lifetime. Furthermore, it offers potential for developing other biological-type functions in man-made structures, such as controlling temperature or distributing energy sources.”
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Author
Tom Shelley
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