Recycled plastic granules (representational image) NICK GAMMON/Getty Images
Modern engineering demands materials that do more than just hold their shape. They must be lightweight yet stronger than steel, capable of withstanding extreme heat, and resilient enough to recover from damage without losing performance.
In industries like aerospace, defense, and automotive, such materials can mean safer vehicles, longer service life, and less environmental waste.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have now moved closer to that goal.
They have uncovered new capabilities in Aromatic Thermosetting Copolyester (ATSP), an ultra-durable, recyclable plastic that can heal itself, recover its shape, and maintain strength across repeated use.
The discovery could set new benchmarks for reliability and sustainability in high-performance manufacturing.
Backed by the U.S. Department of Defense, the project brought together aerospace engineering and materials science specialists from Texas A&M and the University of Tulsa.
Built for demanding conditions
Aerospace engineering professor Dr. Mohammad Naraghi led the work alongside the University of Tulsa’s Dr. Andreas Polycarpou.
They studied ATSP’s performance under extreme stress, heat, and repetitive damage.
Naraghi noted that aerospace materials must endure high temperatures and impacts without compromising safety.
The bond exchanges within ATSP allow it to “perform on-demand self-healing” when damaged.
The material also shows promise in cars. Its ability to regain shape after collisions could improve passenger safety and reduce the need for part replacements.
Unlike traditional plastics, ATSP can be recycled repeatedly, making it attractive to industries aiming to cut waste without sacrificing performance.
Dr. Mohammad Naraghi showcasing ATSP, the carbon-fiber smart plastic. Credit – Dr. Mohammad Naraghi/Texas A&M University College of Engineering.
Naraghi explained that reinforced ATSP can be crushed, remolded, and reused across many cycles without losing its chemistry or durability.
When paired with carbon fibers, ATSP becomes several times stronger than steel while remaining lighter than aluminum.
This combination of strength and lightness makes it a prime candidate for high-performance applications where every kilogram matters.
Testing durability and recovery
The team used cyclical creep testing to see how ATSP stores and releases strain energy during repeated stretching.
They identified two key temperature points: the glass transition temperature, when polymer chains move more freely, and the vitrification temperature, when bonds activate enough to enable reshaping and healing.
In deep-cycle bending fatigue tests, samples were heated to 160 °C to trigger repairs. ATSP endured hundreds of stress-heating cycles and even improved in durability after healing.
Naraghi likened the process to skin that can stretch, heal, and return to its original shape.
In a tougher trial, the material went through five severe damage-heating cycles at 280 °C. After two cycles, it returned to nearly full strength.
By the fifth, efficiency dropped to about 80% due to mechanical fatigue, but chemical stability remained intact. Imaging showed the healed composite closely matched its original structure, with only minor wear from manufacturing defects.
The research was funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and conducted with ATSP Innovations.
Naraghi credited these partnerships with guiding the project and helping to turn research curiosity into practical applications.
The findings point toward a future where high-performance plastics not only survive harsh conditions but also adapt and recover from damage, reshaping expectations of strength, safety, and sustainability.
The study is published in Macromolecules and the Journal of Composite Materials.
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