USU researcher invents self-healing composite
February 16, 2022
Researchers from the Uniformed Services University’s (USU) Postgraduate Dental College and the Dental Research and Consultative Services at Joint Base San-Antonio-Lackland were awarded a patent for inventing a self-healing dental composite. That’s right: a self-repairing composite that works similarly to the human body. It contains healing agents in nano- and micro- sized capsules. If a crack develops in the composite, these capsules are released into the damaged site. Their structure once released can lead to greater durability as well. This innovation could be tailored to other uses, such as protective coatings or even lightweight armors.