Material scientists in Germany have developed a rubber capable of self-repairing. The development could pave the way for a world without flat tires.

Currently, all modern auto tires are made of rubber created using a process called sulfur vulcanization. Adding sulfur or other similar curatives or accelerators makes rubber stronger and more elastic, but the process also eliminates rubber's ability to repair itself.

A cut in a modern car tire typically can't be patched. The tire must be replaced.

But scientists have now developed sulfur-free tire-grade rubber, made using a process called ionic modification. By treating bromobutyl rubber with carbon and nitrogen additives, scientists were able to create rubber with strength and elasticity, avoiding the need for vulcanization.

The new rubber can reform these properties as it repairs itself in the wake of a cut. In lab experiments, the new rubber healed at room temperature, but healed faster when heat was applied.

Scientists say other additives like silica or carbon black could be added to bolster the rubber's strength without sacrificing its self-healing properties.

The new research was published this week in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.