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Scientists have reportedly developed a novel polymer network that self-heals rapidly and repeatedly at lower temperatures. 

The invention could find its utility in myriad of instances such as scratches in the car finish or cracks in polymer material. These materials can repair themselves by restoring their initial molecular structure after the damage. 

The invention is based on the possibility of cross linking functionalized fibers or small molecules by a reversible chemical reaction for the production of self-healing materials. Researchers said these so-called switchable networks can be decomposed into their initial constituents and resembled again after the damage.  

The major advantage of this method is that the self-healing mechanism can be initiated any time be heat, light or by the addition of a chemical substance. 

 "Our method does not need any catalyst, no additive is required," Professor Barner-Kowollik said in the press release. 

The self-healing properties can be transferred to a large range of plastics known. Apart from self-healing, the material is given another advantageous property: As flowability is enhanced at higher temperatures, the material can be molded well. A potential field of application lies in the production of fiber-reinforced plastics components for automotive and aircraft industries, according to the press release. 

"We succeeded in demonstrating that test specimens after first healing were bound even more strongly than before," Barner-Kowollik added.

The findings of the research has been published in the journal Advanced Materials.