A University of Dayton Research Institute chemist who identified a plausible cause for the explosion that downed TWA flight 800 in 1996, has developed a self-healing wire designed to prevent a similar kind of explosion.

Bob Kauffman and his colleagues at UDRI were part of a team hired to determine the cause of the centre-wing fuel tank explosion that brought down TWA 800 killing all passengers and crew on board. The researchers determined that frayed fuel sensor wiring was to have played a significant role in the explosion.

Research showed that frayed wires exposed to moisture in a fuel tank cause conductive fuel residues to form. Kauffman explained: “If those residues are exposed to DC electricity from faulty wiring, they become red hot and can ignite the surrounding fuel.”

Kauffman’s solution if a PATCH – Power-Activated Technology for Coating and Healing – for wire insulation. The inexpensive and non-toxic formula draws on water and electricity to chemically transform itself into a permanent coating.

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Bristol University and Imperial College London have been awarded a £1.2 million four-year research grant to fund the development of methods to arrest, redirect and self-heal compression fractures in composite structures.

The research, entitled ‘crack arrest and self-healing in composite structures’ (CRASHCOMP), funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, and the Defence and Technology Laboratory, will offer potential solutions to significantly improve the damage tolerance of composite components.

A free annual CRASHCOMP workshop will be held at University Bristol and Imperial College London on alternate years, providing a forum for academics, researchers and industry to review the results and influence the direction of the programme.