Scientists invent self healing tyres

Punctures could be a thing of the past after a group of scientists from Harvard University have invented tyres that can identify and repair themselves.

Achieved by combining the branches of various polymers in a specialised form that builds up the rubber, the tyres craze (bond) when damaged as opposed to cracking which is what happens with standard tyres. When these type of tyres are damaged the crazes are joined together by fibrous strands which then are able to evenly disperse the stress across the tyre to prevent a life threatening situation for the passengers.

Researchers at the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have applied for a patent and claim that the breakthrough technology can be applied to a wide variety of products made with polymer rubber.

Tyre blowouts are one of the most common reasons for driving accidents in the United Kingdom and can be an extremely traumatic for both driver and passenger. A sudden loss in tyre pressure due to a blow out can cause a driver to swerve the vehicle into other oncoming motorists or smash into the dividing barrier.

Recent statistics from the Department for Transport revealed accidents relating to faulty or blown tyres on the road accounted for nearly 20 fatal incidents, 122 serious and around 500 minor accidents.

With great strides being made in self healing tyres such fatalities could one day very soon be eliminated all together.