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Abu Dhabi researchers create material that heals itself in extreme cold
Current self-healing materials — mostly soft gels or polymers — only work at room temperature or higher
- PUBLISHED: Wed 21 Jan 2026, 12:20 PM
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NYU Abu Dhabi scientists have discovered a material that repairs itself after damage at temperatures where most materials crack and fail — a breakthrough that could prevent disasters like the 1986 Challenger space shuttle explosion.
The organic crystal, detailed in a study published in Nature Materials, can restore its structure at -196ºC and continues functioning up to 150ºC. When mechanically damaged in extreme cold, the crystal repairs itself and recovers its ability to transmit light, essential for optical and electronic devices in harsh environments.
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"On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger tragically failed due to the freezing and malfunction of rubber O-rings," said Professor Panče Naumov, who leads NYU Abu Dhabi's Smart Materials Lab. "Soft materials, including plastics and rubbers, lose their flexibility and crack in low temperatures, with the best ones becoming brittle below -130ºC."
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The O-ring failure killed seven astronauts and grounded Nasa's shuttle programme for nearly three years, highlighting a fundamental problem: materials that work perfectly on Earth become dangerous in space's extreme cold.
Current self-healing materials — mostly soft gels or polymers — only work at room temperature or higher. The NYU Abu Dhabi team's discovery represents the first time self-healing has been demonstrated in an organic crystal across extreme temperature ranges, including cryogenic conditions.
The material achieves this through its molecular structure. Its molecules carry positive and negative ends that attract one another like tiny magnets. These interactions allow the crystal to reconnect and repair itself when broken, even at temperatures that would shatter conventional materials.
"The material that we reported does the opposite of traditional polymers — it can heal itself even when frozen," Naumov said. "That makes this and possibly other organic crystals strong candidates for technologies used in space exploration, deep-sea operations, or polar research."
Being organic and lightweight with an ordered structure gives the crystal advantages over existing space materials. Space agencies have pursued self-healing materials for decades, but progress has been limited by temperature constraints.
The research collaboration between NYU Abu Dhabi and Jilin University in China shows applications beyond space. Flexible electronics operating in extreme environments, from Arctic research stations to deep-sea exploration vehicles, could benefit from materials that maintain functionality and repair themselves after damage.
The discovery aligns with expanding space exploration plans. As agencies plan permanent lunar bases and Mars missions, material durability in extreme cold becomes critical. Traditional materials require constant maintenance and replacement, adding weight, cost, and risk. Self-healing materials functioning across wide temperature ranges could reduce these burdens significantly.
The crystal's ability to transmit light after self-repair matters for optical communication systems, sensors, and displays that must operate reliably in harsh conditions. Current space-grade optical materials crack under thermal stress, requiring expensive shielding and redundant systems.
The Nature Materials publication marks another milestone in Abu Dhabi's materials science research, building on the emirate's investment in advanced technology that attracts global scientific collaboration.
Ahmed Waqqas Alawlaqi is the youngest Special Correspondent, reporting from Abu Dhabi on youth, AI and innovation, and human-interest stories. His work brings exclusive perspectives from the Capital, highlighting voices that shape the UAE's future.