Indian scientists discover materials that self-repair mechanical damages

Source: PIB

What is the News?

Indian Scientists have developed materials that may soon make it possible for damaged electronic components, such as in spacecraft, to self-repair mechanical damages.

What is the material that Indian Scientists have developed?

• Indian Scientists have developed piezoelectric molecular crystal material called bipyrazole organic crystals.
  • Piezoelectric crystals are a class of materials that generate electricity when it undergoes a mechanical impact.
• The material has the unique property of generating electrical charges on mechanical impact.
• This property allows the material to repair itself from mechanical damages without the need for any external intervention.

Significance of this development:

• Devices that we use daily often break down due to mechanical damage, forcing us either to repair or replace them. This decreases the life of the equipment and increases maintenance costs.
• In many cases, like in spacecraft, human intervention for restoration is not possible.
• Hence, keeping such necessities in mind, researchers have developed a material that can repair their own mechanical damages with the electrical charges generated by the mechanical impact on them.