Self-healing composites: in-situ repair solutions

Realising self-healing composites in a commercial environment remains a challenge for the transport sector. Herein, this research considers the design envelope and the implications of embedding self-healing agents into commercially relevant fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composite applications. A novel epoxy resin containing reversible bondable Diels-Alder structures was developed and implemented into bulk polymer tapered double cantilever beam (TDCB) and FRP double cantilever beam (DCB) test specimens to evaluate the recovery of mechanical performance. Fractured test specimens were exposed to 150 °C for a short duration (5 minutes) to facilitate the polymer reconfiguration process. Mode I testing highlighted a combined adhesive and cohesive fracture mechanisms depending on the self-healing material integration method. Healing efficiency values of >50% resulted for the recovery of fracture toughness (KIc), after the first and subsequent second and third healing cycles