Progress towards self-healing polymers for composite structural applications

Repair in composite materials is tending towards autonomic healing systems. This is a technological departure from the mechanical repair currently practiced in industry. For reinforced polymer matrix composites, failure tends to occur in the matrix or matrix-reinforcement interface. The most common failure mode is the formation and propagation of microcracks that reduce the material\u27s structural capabilities. Damage may be fixed through traditional bolted or bonded repair methods, but such repair requires temporary decommission of a part, collection of repair materials, and employee time and effort to enact the repair. This review describes methods of self-repair and healing for polymeric materials with a focus on structural applications of these self-healing materials. From intrinsically healing polymers to self-healing-enabled polymer composites with dispersed agents or vascular networks, this review examines the chemistries and mechanisms which enable self-healing