BRISTOL, England, May 20 (UPI) -- British scientists say they have created a technique that enables a damaged aircraft to mend itself automatically -- even during flight.
Bristol University researchers said that with the technique, should a tiny hole or crack appear in the airplane, epoxy resin would "bleed" from embedded vessels near the site and quickly seal the rupture, restoring structural integrity. By mixing dye into the resin, any of the repairs could easily be pinpointed during subsequent ground inspections.
The Bristol engineers said their technique has potential to be applied wherever fiber-reinforced polymer composites are used. And, since the light-weight, high-performance polymer composites are also used in cars, wind turbines and spacecraft, the new self-repair system could have a wide impact.
"This approach can deal with small-scale damage that's not obvious to the naked eye but which might lead to serious failures in structural integrity if it escapes attention," said Ian Bond, who led the project. "It's intended to complement, rather than replace,,,, conventional inspection and maintenance routines."
The researchers said the new self-repair technique could be available for commercial use within about four years.