Self-Healable Supramolecular Vanadium Pentoxide Reinforced Polydimethylsiloxane-Graft-Polyurethane Composites

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Polymers can be engineered for self-healing capabilities through various mechanisms.
• Reversible hydrogen bonding offers a promising route for creating dynamic and repairable polymer networks.
• Incorporating nanofillers can significantly enhance the mechanical and functional properties of polymer matrices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize self-healing polydimethylsiloxane-graft-polyurethane (PDMS-g-PUR) supramolecular polymer composites.
• To investigate the effect of vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) nanofibers on the self-healing and mechanical properties of PDMS-g-PUR.
• To explore the potential of reversible hydrogen bonding for creating advanced self-healing materials.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of V₂O₅ nanofibers via a colloidal route, followed by comprehensive characterization (XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM).
• Preparation of PDMS-g-PUR through EDC/HCl coupling of PUR-COOH and aminopropyl-functionalized PDMS, with characterization by ¹H NMR and FTIR.
• Fabrication and characterization of PDMS-g-PUR/V₂O₅ nanofiber composites using DSC/TGA, FTIR, and tensile testing; self-healing evaluated via mechanical tests and optical microscopy.

Main Results:

• PDMS-g-PUR demonstrated significant self-healing capabilities, achieving 85.4 ± 1.2% healing efficiency after 120 minutes at 50 °C.
• The incorporation of V₂O₅ nanofibers notably improved both mechanical properties and self-healing efficiency.
• Composites with 10 wt% V₂O₅ nanofibers exhibited a healing efficiency of 95.3 ± 0.4% and a maximum tensile strength of 1443.40 ± 8.96 kPa.

Conclusions:

• Self-healing PDMS-g-PUR supramolecular polymer composites were successfully prepared based on reversible hydrogen bonding.
• V₂O₅ nanofibers act as effective reinforcing agents, enhancing the mechanical strength and self-healing performance of the polymer matrix.
• These findings highlight the potential of V₂O₅-reinforced PDMS-g-PUR composites for applications requiring durable and repairable materials.