Self-Healing Polymer Composites: Prospects, Challenges, and Applications

Self‐healing polyurethane based on a difuranic monomer from biorenewable source

“…All methods mentioned above demand incorporation of a healing agent and/or a catalyst, and the number of self‐healing attempts is limited with one or few. Internal healing based on reversible chemical interaction between functional groups in a polymer are more attractive due to unlimited mending cycles, but external stimulus such as heat or light must be applied . There is a wide variety of internal self‐healing approaches based on photoactivated [2 + 2]‐cycloaddition, reversible formation of disulfide bridges and hydrogen bonds, radical reactions, pH‐dependent processes, and Diels–Alder (DA) reactions …”

Going Beyond Traditional Applications? The Potential of Hydrogels

“…Different strategies have been developed to prepare autonomic and nonautonomic self-healing materials, and this idea is no longer limited to polymers but includes ceramics, concretes, metals, and composites. [37][38][39][40] A wide spectrum of potential applications has been demonstrated for biomimetic smart materials. Self-healing will significantly improve the lifetime, safety, energy efficiency, and environmental impact of synthetic materials during production and their subsequent applications.…”

“…When mechanical damage ruptures these channels, the healing reagents are released and flow to the damage site to seal cracks. [37] There are potential environmental issues for capsuleand vascular-based self-healing systems because of the use of toxic healing reagents and catalysts (e.g., dicyclopentadiene and Grubbs' catalyst). In the third approach, self-healing without catalyst and precursor has been demonstrated using materials with dynamic covalent, or noncovalent bonds.…”

“…The 1st International Conference on Self‐Healing Materials was held in 2007, attracting a diverse, multidisciplinary group of scientists and engineers from around the world. Different strategies have been developed to prepare autonomic and nonautonomic self‐healing materials, and this idea is no longer limited to polymers but includes ceramics, concretes, metals, and composites . A wide spectrum of potential applications has been demonstrated for biomimetic smart materials.…”

“…In the second approach, solutions of catalyst and precursor are actively transported through the matrix via vascular networks of channels. When mechanical damage ruptures these channels, the healing reagents are released and flow to the damage site to seal cracks . There are potential environmental issues for capsule‐ and vascular‐based self‐healing systems because of the use of toxic healing reagents and catalysts (e.g., dicyclopentadiene and Grubbs' catalyst).…”