能自我修复上千次的复合材料面世，有望将航空航天构件寿命延至数百年

Core Insights - Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new self-healing composite material that can undergo thousands of self-repairs, potentially extending the lifespan of aircraft wings, wind turbine blades, and spacecraft structural components to hundreds of years, far exceeding the typical design life of existing materials [1] Group 1: Material Innovations - The new self-healing material incorporates two key innovations over traditional fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites: the embedding of thermoplastic healing agents via 3D printing between fiber layers, enhancing delamination resistance by 2 to 4 times [1] - It also integrates a super-thin carbon-based heating layer that rapidly heats up when electrified, allowing the healing agent to melt and flow into cracks, automatically repairing damage and restoring original performance [1] Group 2: Performance Testing - To validate the long-term stability of the new material, an automated testing system was constructed, which conducted 1,000 cycles of "damage-repair" over 40 days, with each cycle involving the creation of a 50mm long delamination crack followed by activation of the healing mechanism [2] - Results indicated that after 1,000 cycles, the material maintained excellent performance, with fracture resistance significantly superior to traditional composites and a very slow rate of toughness degradation, setting a new record for self-healing occurrences [2] Group 3: Practical Applications - In practical applications, the self-healing mechanism is expected to activate only during unexpected damage events, such as hail or bird strikes, or during routine maintenance [2] - Theoretically, components made from this material could sustain use for up to 125 years, requiring only 4 repairs within a 500-year period to maintain functional stability, which could significantly reduce maintenance costs and energy consumption in industrial equipment while minimizing environmental pollution from discarded parts [2]