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Nature 451, 895-896 (21 February 2008) | doi:10.1038/451895a; Published online 20 February 2008

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Materials science: The gift of healing

Justin L. Mynar1 & Takuzo Aida1

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Synthesis of a rubber-like material that can be recycled might not seem exciting. But one that can also repeatedly repair itself at room temperature, without adhesives, really stretches the imagination.

When the Spanish conquistadores first witnessed the Aztec game played with a bouncing rubber ball, they thought that such balls must be possessed by evil spirits. Imagine their reaction if, on cutting the ball in half, it was made as good as new simply by pressing the two halves together without heat or adhesives.

  1. Justin L. Mynar and Takuzo Aida are in the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.

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