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Technology update

Oct 5, 2007

Nanotubes detect and mend cracks

An innovative new technique to identify and repair small cracks in aircraft wings and other structures using carbon nanotubes has been developed by scientists at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the US. The method relies on mixing together a polymer and electrically conducting nanotubes and monitoring the structure's electrical resistance to pinpoint where a crack is located. The nanotubes are then heated using a short electrical pulse to melt an embedded healing agent so that it flows into the crack and repairs it.

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