Fig. 3. Self-healing of extreme mechanical damage.
a, Scratch damage on TRn11 protein-coated substrates was partially and totally healed, each healing requiring less than 2 s. b, Puncture damage of free-standing, flexible TRn11 protein films (by a needle through the film) was healed in less than 1 s. c, Total cut damage of TRn11 protein dog-bone-shaped samples (I and II) was healed in less than 1 s. Healed samples withstand large deformations of up to 200% stretching strain before failure from a random pristine location, and healed areas are at least as strong as pristine areas.