Self-Healing Epoxy And Reversible Diels-Alder Based Interpenetrating Networks

Dual networks, containing Diels-Alder (DA) based reversible and epoxy networks, are studied as self-healing thermoset materials. The thermoreversible DA network acts as a healing agent at healing procedure and the epoxy network (E) keeps the material integrity. Two types of the dual networks are investigated, the interpenetrating networks (IPN) and the DA-epoxy copolymers. The rate of bonds breaking and reformation is monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis. Two healing steps are followed: the sealing of the notch by microscopy and recovery of the structure by tensile tests. The factors governing the healing efficiency are determined and analyzed. The fraction of the sol generated at healing is found to be the crucial parameter. The novel architecture of the IPN with a high content of the DA network is designed. This IPN generates a high amount of the sol at healing and shows the healing efficiency approaching to 100%.