Thermo-moldable self-healing commodity plastics with heat resisting and oxygen-insensitive healant capable of room temperature redox cationic polymerization†
Abstract
Commercially available polystyrene is coupled with self-healability by exploiting a novel healing chemistry of redox cationic polymerization. In this system, iodonium bis(4-methylphenyl) hexafluorophosphate (IBH)/glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) loaded microcapsules and NaBH4 particles are embedded in the matrix through compression molding. The healant is oxygen insensitive and heat resistant so that it meets the requirement of remendable thermoplastics.