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Self-Healing Silicone Elastomer with Stable and High Adhesion in Harsh Environments
Shengping Dai1, Meng Li2, Hao Yan2
1Institute of Intelligent flexible Mechatronics, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, P. R. China.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|November 11, 2021
Summary
This study introduces a new silicone elastomer with strong adhesion and self-healing capabilities. It maintains performance in harsh conditions, showing great potential for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Adhesive and self-healing elastomers are crucial for advanced applications but require enhanced performance in harsh environments.
- Existing elastomers often fail under demanding conditions, limiting their utility in fields like flexible electronics and biomedical devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize a novel silicone elastomer with superior adhesion and self-healing properties.
- To evaluate the elastomer's performance under various harsh environmental conditions, including acidic, alkaline, and solvent exposure.
- To demonstrate the practical applicability of the developed elastomer in protective layers and coatings.
Main Methods:
- Synergistic integration of multiple dynamic bonds within a silicone elastomer matrix.
- Characterization of mechanical properties, including stretchability and tensile strength.
- Assessment of self-healing efficiency at room temperature and in aqueous environments.
- Evaluation of adhesion strength on diverse substrates (metal, nonmetal) under challenging conditions (pH extremes, various solvents).
Main Results:
- The developed silicone elastomer exhibits excellent stretchability (368%) and high self-healing efficiency (98.1% in 5 hours at room temperature; 96.4% in 5 hours in water).
- Demonstrated robust adhesion to both metallic and non-metallic surfaces, maintaining stability in acidic (pH 1), alkaline (pH 12), saltwater, and organic solvent environments.
- Successfully applied as a shatter-proof protective layer and a rust-proof coating, validating its practical utility.
Conclusions:
- The novel silicone elastomer, engineered with synergistic dynamic bonds, offers exceptional stretchability, self-healing, and adhesion under harsh conditions.
- Its stable performance across a wide range of environmental stressors highlights its suitability for demanding applications.
- The material shows significant promise for integration into intelligent residential systems, flexible electronics, and biomedical devices.
