Punctured tires may be a thing of the past thanks to the invention of a group of scientists from Harvard University who have created durable automotive tires capable of self-renewal after bursting while driving.
The hybrid tire developed by researchers at the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) bursts under pressure, but not like a regular tire.
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Cracks are connected by fibrous bundles that absorb and distribute the impact across the entire tire to prevent potentially catastrophic blowouts. When the pressure drops, the hybrid tire returns to its original shape.
– If a cut appears on the tire, it will not need to be changed immediately. Instead, the tire will ‘self-heal’ while driving, providing enough time to avoid dramatic damage, says Jinrong Wu, one of the inventors who worked on the project.
Scientists achieved the hybrid tire by combining polymers that make up the tire in a way that has not been possible until now.
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The technology will be applicable to a wide range of rubber products.
Harvard University has filed for a patent, but it is not yet clear when the hybrid tire will go into production.
