Prolonged in situ self-healing in structural composites via thermo-reversible entanglement

Alexander D. Snyder, Zachary J. Phillips, Jack S. Turicek, Charles E. Diesendruck, Kalyana B. Nakshatrala and Jason F. Patrick ()
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Alexander D. Snyder: North Carolina State University (NCSU)
Zachary J. Phillips: North Carolina State University
Jack S. Turicek: North Carolina State University (NCSU)
Charles E. Diesendruck: Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
Kalyana B. Nakshatrala: University of Houston (UH)
Jason F. Patrick: North Carolina State University (NCSU)

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Natural processes continuously degrade a material’s performance throughout its life cycle. An emerging class of synthetic self-healing polymers and composites possess property-retaining functions with the promise of longer lifetimes. But sustained in-service repair of structural fiber-reinforced composites remains unfulfilled due to material heterogeneity and thermodynamic barriers in commonly cross-linked polymer-matrix constituents. Overcoming these inherent challenges for mechanical self-recovery is vital to extend in-service operation and attain widespread adoption of such bioinspired structural materials. Here we transcend existing obstacles and report a fiber-composite capable of minute-scale and prolonged in situ healing — 100 cycles: an order of magnitude higher than prior studies. By 3D printing a mendable thermoplastic onto woven glass/carbon fiber reinforcement and co-laminating with electrically resistive heater interlayers, we achieve in situ thermal remending of internal delamination via dynamic bond re-association. Full fracture recovery occurs below the glass-transition temperature of the thermoset epoxy-matrix composite, thus preserving stiffness during and after repair. A discovery of chemically driven improvement in thermal remending of glass- over carbon-fiber composites is also revealed. The marked lifetime extension offered by this self-healing strategy mitigates costly maintenance, facilitates repair of difficult-to-access structures (e.g., wind-turbine blades), and reduces part replacement, thereby benefiting economy and environment.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33936-z

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