Issue 11, 2014

Real time monitoring of click chemistry self-healing in polymer composites

Abstract

A photo-healable rubber composite based on effective and fast thiol–alkyne click chemistry as a self-healing agent prestored in glass capillaries is reported. The click reaction and its effect on the mechanical properties of the composite are monitored in real time by dynamic mechanical analysis, showing that the successful bleeding of healing agents to the crack areas and the effective photoinitiated click reaction result in a 30% storage modulus increase after only 5 min of UV light exposure. X-ray tomography confirms capillary-driven bleeding of reactants to the damaged areas. The effect of storing the click chemistry reactants in separate capillaries is also studied, and results show the importance of stoichiometry in achieving a significant level of repair of the composite. No reactant degradation or premature chemical reaction is observed over time in samples stored in the absence of UV radiation; they are able to undergo the self-healing reaction even one month after preparation.

Graphical abstract: Real time monitoring of click chemistry self-healing in polymer composites

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 Nov 2013
Accepted
03 Jan 2014
First published
06 Jan 2014

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014,2, 3881-3887

Real time monitoring of click chemistry self-healing in polymer composites

H.-B. Yue, J. P. Fernández-Blázquez, D. F. Beneito and J. J. Vilatela, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014, 2, 3881 DOI: 10.1039/C3TA14961G

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