Silicone rubber can self heal - news from 1954

ERJ staff report (DS)

Akron, Ohio - A recent issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society carries a paper in which researchers have re-discovered  the self-healing ability of silicone rubber.

In the 18 Jan 2012  edition, Prof. Peiwen Zheng and Thomas J. McCarthy of the Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts have rediscovered the siloxane equilibriation reaction, first postulated in a theoretical paper published in 1954.

The scientists showed a piece of clear silicone rubber (in the shape of a bone), sliced it with a razor blade and re-assembled it into a new shape (a dog). After the sample is heated to 90C for 4 hours, the joins have completely disappeared

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Abstract of paper from ACS

Report  from Physorg.com
Report  from The Engineer