Hydrogen-bonded polymeric materials with high mechanical properties and high self-healing capacity

Abstract

Microcracks will appear in polymer materials during long-term service, which can further propagate into large cracks and lead to materials failure. In addition, the management of polymer waste pollution is also a major hotspot in the current society. Fortunately, polymer materials with self-healing ability can be prepared by mimicking the self-repair of living organisms, thus effectively prolonging service life. The introduction of reversible interactions not only endows materials with self-healing ability but also facilitates material recycling. This review primarily discusses the strategies and methods for synergistically improving the mechanical performance and self-healing ability of polymer materials based on hydrogen bonds, including introducing multiple hydrogen bonds, increasing hydrogen bond density, enhancing segment mobility, simultaneously improving hydrogen bond strength and segment mobility, achieving the synergistic effects of hydrogen bonds with other reversible bonds, and synthesizing of polymer chains with special topological structures.