Self-Healing Polymers and Composites

Abstract

Self-healing polymers and fiber-reinforced polymer composites possess the ability to heal in response to damage wherever and whenever it occurs in the material. This phenomenal material behavior is inspired by biological systems in which self-healing is commonplace. To date, self-healing has been demonstrated by three conceptual approaches: capsule-based healing systems, vascular healing systems, and intrinsic healing polymers. Self-healing can be autonomic—automatic without human intervention—or may require some external energy or pressure. All classes of polymers, from thermosets to thermoplastics to elastomers, have potential for self-healing. The majority of research to date has focused on the recovery of mechanical integrity following quasi-static fracture. This article also reviews self-healing during fatigue and in response to impact damage, puncture, and corrosion. The concepts embodied by current self-healing polymers offer a new route toward safer, longer-lasting, fault-tolerant products and components across a broad cross section of industries including coatings, electronics, transportation, and energy.

Autonomic healable waterborne organic-inorganic polyurethane hybrids based on aromatic disulfide moieties

“…Thus, the influence of the hydrogen bonding in the healing process was also analyzed. From the data of strain-stress tests, the healing efficiency (η) of the process was calculated at different times [39,40]. This parameter expresses the effectiveness of the healing process and it is defined as the ratio of a physical property for both the healed and the undamaged materials, according to Equation (1): (1) where P is the physical property of interest.…”

Research on Self-healing Composite Materials

“…Intrinsic self-healing methods are mainly to provide energy for system through the heating system and other ways, making it crystallization, in the surface forming film or cross-linking to achieve self-healing [5], such as heat welding, thermo-reversible cross-linking reaction. External self-healing methods mainly depend on some kinds of functional substances dispersed or implanted in the materials.…”

Self-healing and self-repairing technologies

“…In polymers and composites, three types of self-healing have been observed so far: capsule-based healing systems, vascular healing systems (inspired by the caoutchouc tree) and intrinsic healing polymers [1]. The self-healing mechanisms may require an external source of energy or pressure.…”

“…Although the idea to apply such mechanisms to engineering problems has existed for close to a century, this kind of research is still in its infancy. Material scientists have developed ways of making surface coatings self-heal [1] and have successfully applied this principles to a variety of materials and other technologies (e.g. [2,3]).…”