Video

Self-Healing Plastic

The Terminator-style material that repairs itself right after a gunshot.

This self-healing “skin,” funded partly by NASA and developed at the University of Michigan, is composed of two polymer sheets with a reactive liquid between them. When the sheets are punctured by a high-velocity projectile, a chemical within the liquid reacts with oxygen to seal the hole in a matter of seconds.

A practical application might be found in space, where orbiting debris traveling at speeds up to 17,500 miles per hour threatens spacecraft, satellites, and habitats. Watch the video for more.