POOLE, ENGLAND—  A new study has made advances in the development of plastic that can fix itself after it has been cracked or broken into pieces. A research team at Bournemouth University added nanomaterials to plastic samples which allowed them to self-heal after being damaged and retain almost all their original strength. The findings, could open the door to a wide range of sustainable products and a reduction in plastic waste. The reformulated plastic was manufactured with nanosheets of a material called MXene – appearing to the naked eye as a powder – which is used industrially as a reinforcement agent for plastics. Specially treated with a glue-like agent, the MXene sits dormant within the plastic until it is exposed to moisture in the atmosphere by a breakage: it then activates, bonding the broken sections back together.The team now searching for commercial partners to help move the concept from the laboratory to the store.