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Inspired by Leaves and Human Skin:


Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

Two Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded scientists have been honored recently for their breakthrough research in self-healing plastics. Scientific American recognized Scott White and Nancy Sottos, both professors at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, in the magazine’s 2007 “SciAm 50” awards list that cites outstanding technological leadership. NASA also featured their research in its top seven technologies for 2007. White and Sottos have demonstrated a new synthetic material inspired by human skin and plant leaves. It continually repairs itself using a three-dimensional microvascular network that supplies a liquid healing agent to damaged areas. This basic research shows promise for a new class of robust composite materials that could one day be used in aerospace vehicles and weapon systems. (AFOSR report by Molly Lachance)

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org