I had seen these self healing cutting mats in the micromark catalog and always wondered what they were made of.
Self healing mat how does it work.
Self healing cutting mats are made from independent tiny pieces pressed together to create a solid cutting surface.
They expand because the inside is compressed under pressure and the film surface material is holding them in that way so when they re damaged they get released a tiny bit but are still mostly held in place by the rest of the mat.
Whatever type of cutting implement you use on this mat the blade will go between these tiny pieces.
1 a bullet hits the polymer gray blue and cuts a hole through it.
This separates them rather than cutting into the entire unit of the surface.
Easy to read measuring grid on both sides offers double the usage and 30 45 and 60 degree bias lines make creating triangle and star shapes easy.
The mats are made out of a rubber that expands slightly when cut which pushes the two sides of the cut closer together so you still have a mostly smooth surface.
What can we use self healing materials for.
100 percent polypropylene mat can be recycled when it is used up after long term intensive use.
When you cut on the mat using a rotary cutter the blade actually goes between the tiny pieces separating them and not cutting into the surface as a whole unit.
You mean to tell me you ve seen self healing polymers on the market.
Generally materials will degrade over time due to fatigue environmental conditions or damage incurred during operation.
Self healing mat provides a cutting surface that lasts longer than others.
Self healing materials are artificial or synthetically created substances that have the built in ability to automatically repair damages to themselves without any external diagnosis of the problem or human intervention.
3 the hot polymer flows and seals up as the bullet passes through.
He looked at me like i d grown a second head.
Warm or hot water can warp your mat.
2 some of the bullet s kinetic energy is converted into heat which raises the temperature of the polymer red.
Add a solution of cup white vinegar per gallon of cool water and let it soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
Try flexing your cutting mat and you should see some of the old cuts open up again.
Self healing mats are manufactured from separate tiny pieces of material which are pressed together creating a solid surface to cut on.
When i was in graduate school i took a seminar class from a chemist whose work in developing self healing polymers was widely admired.
How a self healing polymer works simplified.
To soak your mat place it in a bathtub or container that is large enough so your mat can lie flat.