The idea is to create polymers that could be used to make paint that can heal its own scratches when exposed to UV light.
The new polymers are to be using a method known as supramolecular assembly. Polymers made of small molecules will be formed into chains bound by metal ions. When these molecules are exposed to UV light, they will become temporarily unattached, forming a liquid that will fill in the scratches in under a minute. The molecules will reassemble and resolidify once the UV light is removed.
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