The so-called ‘self-healing’ wire — through a combination of electrical current and a specially formulated material — will patch exposed metal wire in autos and airplanes with a new layer of permanent insulation, UDRI officials said.
The technology is called PATCH (Power Activated Technology for Coating and Healing), and it comes in liquid and solid forms.
Kauffman, who previously was recognized by R&D Magazine in 1992, was prompted to develop PATCH after he served as a lead investigator in the 1996 crash of TWA 800, brought down by a fuel-tank explosion. Investigators decided the explosion likely resulted from faulty fuel-sensor wiring, UDRI said.
The news release also stated that Pinnacle Systems, a Beavercreek-based company, has committed to licensing the technology. In a statement, Joseph D’Angelo, a principal with Pinnacle Systems, said the safety benefits offered by the technology helped pique Pinnacle’s interest.
“We’re a supplier to the Department of Defense, and we’re looking at using the wire in several applications, particularly for the Navy, where the applications involve a wet environment,” D’Angelo said. “Self-healing wire would add an extra layer of protection there.”