A Microvascular System Self-Healing Approach on Polymeric Composite Materials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing self-healing materials is crucial for extending the lifespan of structural components.
• Traditional encapsulation methods for healing agents can negatively impact material properties.
• Nanofiber networks offer a promising alternative for integrating healing agents without compromising mechanical integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a self-healing nano-fiber network using coaxial electrospinning.
• To encapsulate dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) within polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers.
• To enhance the reactivity of the healing agent with carbon nanotube nanofillers.

Main Methods:

• Coaxial electrospinning to create PAN nanofibers loaded with DCPD.
• Addition of carbon nanotubes to improve healing agent reactivity.
• Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for characterization.
• Flexural tests to evaluate self-healing efficiency at both resin and composite levels.

Main Results:

• Successful encapsulation of DCPD within PAN nanofibers was confirmed by FTIR, TGA, and SEM.
• The nano-fiber network did not adversely affect the mechanical properties of the epoxy matrix.
• After 48 hours, the epoxy resin recovered 84% of its flexural strength, and the composite material recovered 93%.

Conclusions:

• Electrospun nanofibers provide an effective matrix for embedding healing agents like DCPD.
• The incorporation of carbon nanotubes enhances the self-healing performance of epoxy-based materials.
• This approach offers a viable strategy for creating robust self-healing composites with significant mechanical property recovery.