Olefin Metathesis for Effective Polymer Healing via Dynamic Exchange of Strong Carbon–Carbon Double Bonds

Vitrimers: permanent organic networks with glass-like fluidity

Most covalent adaptable networks give highly interesting properties for material processing such as reshaping, recycling and repairing. Classical thermally reversible chemical cross-links allow for a heat-triggered switch between materials that behave as insoluble cured resins, and liquid thermoplastic materials, through a fully reversible sol-gel transition. In 2011, a new class of materials, coined vitrimers, was introduced, which extended the realm of adaptable organic polymer networks. Such materials have the remarkable property that they can be thermally processed in a liquid state without losing network integrity. This feature renders the materials processable like vitreous glass, not requiring precise temperature control. In this mini-review, an overview of the state-of-the-art in the quickly emerging field of vitrimer materials is presented. With a main focus on the chemical origins of their unique thermal behavior, the existing chemical systems and their properties will be discussed. Furthermore, future prospects and challenges in this important research field are highlighted.

Diselenide covalent chemistry at the interface: stabilizing an asymmetric diselenide-containing polymer via micelle formation

Diselenide metathesis at an oil/water interface has been demonstrated and an asymmetric diselenide-containing polymer was stabilized via the micelle formation method.

A thermally remendable and reprocessable crosslinked methyl methacrylate polymer based on oxygen insensitive dynamic reversible C–ON bonds

A strategy for developing self-healing crosslinked polymer with alkoxyamine is proposed, which ensures air resistance even at higher homolysis temperature.

Highly Transparent, Nanofiller-Reinforced Scratch-Resistant Polymeric Composite Films Capable of Healing Scratches

Integration of healability and mechanical robustness is challenging in the fabrication of highly transparent films for applications as protectors in optical and displaying devices. Here we report the fabrication of healable, highly transparent and scratch-resistant polymeric composite films that can conveniently and repeatedly heal severe damage such as cuts of several tens of micrometers wide and deep. The film fabrication process involves layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of a poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) blend and branched poly(ethylenimine) (bPEI) blend, where each blend contains the same polyelectrolytes of low and high molecular weights, followed by annealing the resulting PAA/bPEI films with aqueous salt solution and incorporation of CaCO3 nanoparticles as nanofillers. The rearrangement of low-molecular-weight PAA and bPEI under aqueous salt annealing plays a critical role in eliminating film defects to produce optically highly transparent polyelectrolyte films. The in situ formation of tiny and well-dispersed CaCO3 nanoparticles gives the resulting composite films enhanced scratch-resistance and also retains the healing ability of the PAA/bPEI matrix films. The reversibility of noncovalent interactions among the PAA, bPEI, and CaCO3 nanoparticles and the facilitated migration of PAA and bPEI triggered by water enable healing of the structural damage and restoration of optical transparency of the PAA/bPEI films reinforced with CaCO3 nanoparticles.

Dynamic urea bond for the design of reversible and self-healing polymers

Polymers bearing dynamic covalent bonds may exhibit dynamic properties, such as self-healing, shape memory and environmental adaptation. However, most dynamic covalent chemistries developed so far require either catalyst or change of environmental conditions to facilitate bond reversion and dynamic property change in bulk materials. Here we report the rational design of hindered urea bonds (urea with bulky substituent attached to its nitrogen) and the use of them to make polyureas and poly(urethane-ureas) capable of catalyst-free dynamic property change and autonomous repairing at low temperature. Given the simplicity of the hindered urea bond chemistry (reaction of a bulky amine with an isocyanate), incorporation of the catalyst-free dynamic covalent urea bonds to conventional polyurea or urea-containing polymers that typically have stable bulk properties may further broaden the scope of applications of these widely used materials.

Cross-metathesis of polynorbornene with polyoctenamer: a kinetic study

The cross-metathesis of polynorbornene and polyoctenamer in d-chloroform mediated by the 1(st) generation Grubbs' catalyst Cl2(PCy3)2Ru=CHPh is studied by monitoring the kinetics of carbene transformation and evolution of the dyad composition of polymer chains with in situ (1)H and ex situ (13)C NMR spectroscopy. The results are interpreted in terms of a simple kinetic two-stage model. At the first stage of the reaction all Ru-benzylidene carbenes are transformed into Ru-polyoctenamers within an hour, while the polymer molar mass is considerably decreased. The second stage actually including interpolymeric reactions proceeds much slower and takes one day or more to achieve a random copolymer of norbornene and cyclooctene. Its rate is limited by the interaction of polyoctenamer-bound carbenes with polynorbornene units, which is hampered, presumably due to steric reasons. Polynorbornene-bound carbenes are detected in very low concentrations throughout the whole process thus indicating their higher reactivity, as compared with the polyoctenamer-bound ones. Macroscopic homogeneity of the reacting media is proved by dynamic light scattering from solutions containing the polymer mixture and its components. In general, the studied process can be considered as a new way to unsaturated multiblock statistical copolymers. Their structure can be controlled by the amount of catalyst, mixture composition, and reaction time. It is remarkable that this goal can be achieved with a catalyst that is not suitable for ring-opening metathesis copolymerization of norbornene and cis-cyclooctene because of their substantially different monomer reactivities.

Photoinduced heterodisulfide metathesis for reagent-free synthesis of polymer nanoparticles

Reagent-free synthetic methods are of great interest because of their simplicity and implications in green chemistry. We have taken advantage of photoinduced heterodisulfide metathesis to generate crosslinked polymer nanoparticles. The method of development and the mechanistic basis for the synthetic approach are outlined in this communication.

Biomimetic Self-Healing

Self-healing is a natural process common to all living organisms which provides increased longevity and the ability to adapt to changes in the environment. Inspired by this fitness-enhancing functionality, which was tuned by billions of years of evolution, scientists and engineers have been incorporating self-healing capabilities into synthetic materials. By mimicking mechanically triggered chemistry as well as the storage and delivery of liquid reagents, new materials have been developed with extended longevity that are capable of restoring mechanical integrity and additional functions after being damaged. This Review describes the fundamental steps in this new field of science, which combines chemistry, physics, materials science, and mechanical engineering.

Diarylbibenzofuranone-Based Dynamic Covalent Polymer Gels Prepared via Radical Polymerization and Subsequent Polymer Reaction

Diarylbibenzofuranone (DABBF) is a dynamic covalent bonding unit, which is in equilibrium with the corresponding radicals at room temperature, and polymers with DABBF linkages show notable properties such as self-healing. The preparation routes have been strictly limited, however, and no polymer with the linkages has been synthesized via radical polymerization because of the strong antioxidant activity of DABBF. Here we present a new method to prepare DABBF-containing polymers via radical polymerization of the precursor, arylbenzofuranone (ABF), and subsequent polymer reaction, dimerization of ABF units in the linear polymers. Polymer gels cross-linked by DABBF linkages were obtained against the relatively strong antioxidant activity of ABF and showed dynamic network reorganization at room temperature.

Dual Sulfide-Disulfide Crosslinked Networks with Rapid and Room Temperature Self-Healability

Polymer-based crosslinked networks with intrinsic self-repairing ability have emerged due to their built-in ability to repair physical damages. Here, novel dual sulfide-disulfide crosslinked networks (s-ssPxNs) are reported exhibiting rapid and room temperature self-healability within seconds to minutes, with no extra healing agents and no change under any environmental conditions. The method to synthesize these self-healable networks utilizes a combination of well-known crosslinking chemistry: photoinduced thiol-ene click-type radical addition, generating lightly sulfide-crosslinked polysulfide-based networks with excess thiols, and their oxidation, creating dynamic disulfide crosslinkages to yield the dual s-ssPxNs. The resulting s-ssPxN networks show rapid self-healing within 30 s to 30 min at room temperature, as well as self-healing elasticity with reversible viscoelastic properties. These results, combined with tunable self-healing kinetics, demonstrate the versatility of the method as a new means to synthesize smart multifunctional polymeric materials.

Enhancing mechanical performance of a covalent self-healing material by sacrificial noncovalent bonds

Polymers that repair themselves after mechanical damage can significantly improve their durability and safety. A major goal in the field of self-healing materials is to combine robust mechanical and efficient healing properties. Here, we show that incorporation of sacrificial bonds into a self-repairable network dramatically improves the overall mechanical properties. Specifically, we use simple secondary amide side chains to create dynamic energy dissipative hydrogen bonds in a covalently cross-linked polymer network, which can self-heal via olefin cross-metathesis. We envision that this straightforward sacrificial bonding strategy can be employed to improve mechanical properties in a variety of self-healing systems.

Recent strategies to develop self-healable crosslinked polymeric networks

Autonomous self-healable crosslinked materials designed with built-in ability to repair physical damage and cracks can prevent catastrophic failure and thus extend the lifetime of materials.

Self-healable castor oil based tough smart hyperbranched polyurethane nanocomposite with antimicrobial attributes

Smart, tough hyperbranched polyurethane nanocomposite with excellent rapid and repeatable self-healing and antimicrobial attributes is fabricated.

Self-healing and shape memory capabilities of copper-coordination polymer network

A copper-coordination polymer network displays excellent shape memory and high self-healing functions under a mild condition.

Healable capacitive touch screen sensors based on transparent composite electrodes comprising silver nanowires and a furan/maleimide diels-alder cycloaddition polymer

A healable transparent capacitive touch screen sensor has been fabricated based on a healable silver nanowire-polymer composite electrode. The composite electrode features a layer of silver nanowire percolation network embedded into the surface layer of a polymer substrate comprising an ultrathin soldering polymer layer to confine the nanowires to the surface of a healable Diels-Alder cycloaddition copolymer and to attain low contact resistance between the nanowires. The composite electrode has a figure-of-merit sheet resistance of 18 Ω/sq with 80% transmittance at 550 nm. A surface crack cut on the conductive surface with 18 Ω is healed by heating at 100 °C, and the sheet resistance recovers to 21 Ω in 6 min. A healable touch screen sensor with an array of 8×8 capacitive sensing points is prepared by stacking two composite films patterned with 8 rows and 8 columns of coupling electrodes at 90° angle. After deliberate damage, the coupling electrodes recover touch sensing function upon heating at 80 °C for 30 s. A capacitive touch screen based on Arduino is demonstrated capable of performing quick recovery from malfunction caused by a razor blade cutting. After four cycles of cutting and healing, the sensor array remains functional.

Polylactide Vitrimers

While much research has been aimed at new approaches to the healing of cross-linked polymers, there is a dearth of effort in the healing of renewable cross-linked polymers. In this study, the healing ability of renewable polylactide-based vitrimers containing Sn(Oct)₂ was investigated. The vitrimers were prepared from hydroxyl-terminated star-shaped poly((±)-lactide) samples that were cross-linked with methylenediphenyl diisocyanate. Cross-linked samples were prepared with isocyanate:hydroxyl (IC:OH) ratios of 0.6:1 to 1.1:1 and initial catalyst:hydroxyl (Sn(Oct)₂:OH) ratios ranging from 0.013:1 to 0.050:1. The plateau modulus and T_g values for the cross-linked samples decreased with decreasing IC:OH ratio. The materials were subjected to stress relaxation analyses, which confirmed that the materials not only were vitrimeric in nature but also exhibited remarkably short characteristic relaxation times of less than 50 s at 140 °C. Finally, vitrimers fractured in uniaxial tensile testing were healed by compression molding and exhibited up to 67% recovery of ultimate elongation, up to 102% recovery of tensile strength, and up to 133% recovery of tensile modulus values.

Reprocessing and recycling of thermosetting polymers based on bond exchange reactions

In this paper, we experimentally demonstrated the reprocessing, recycling and repairing abilities of pulverized thermoset polymer with exchangeable bonds.

Multivalent hydrogen bonding block copolymers self-assemble into strong and tough self-healing materials

ABA triblock copolymers with glassy PMMA middle blocks and dynamic hydrogen bonding terminal blocks self-assemble into nanocomposites having an excellent combination of mechanical strength and self-healing capability.

Self-Healing of Unentangled Polymer Networks with Reversible Bonds

Self-healing polymeric materials are systems that after damage can revert to their original state with full or partial recovery of mechanical strength. Using scaling theory we study a simple model of autonomic self-healing of unentangled polymer networks. In this model one of the two end monomers of each polymer chain is fixed in space mimicking dangling chains attachment to a polymer network, while the sticky monomer at the other end of each chain can form pairwise reversible bond with the sticky end of another chain. We study the reaction kinetics of reversible bonds in this simple model and analyze the different stages in the self-repair process. The formation of bridges and the recovery of the material strength across the fractured interface during the healing period occur appreciably faster after shorter waiting time, during which the fractured surfaces are kept apart. We observe the slowest formation of bridges for self-adhesion after bringing into contact two bare surfaces with equilibrium (very low) density of open stickers in comparison with self-healing. The primary role of anomalous diffusion in material self-repair for short waiting times is established, while at long waiting times the recovery of bonds across fractured interface is due to hopping diffusion of stickers between different bonded partners. Acceleration in bridge formation for self-healing compared to self-adhesion is due to excess non-equilibrium concentration of open stickers. Full recovery of reversible bonds across fractured interface (formation of bridges) occurs after appreciably longer time than the equilibration time of the concentration of reversible bonds in the bulk.

Inherently Photohealable and Thermal Shape-Memory Polydisulfide Networks

Structurally dynamic polydisulfide networks that inherently exhibit both shape-memory and healable properties have been synthesized. These materials are semicrystalline, covalently cross-linked network polymers and as such exhibit thermal shape-memory properties. Upon heating above its melting temperature (T_m) films of the material can be deformed by a force. Subsequent cooling and removal of the force result in the material being "fixed" in this strained temporary shape through a combination of crystallinity and covalent cross-links until it is exposed to temperatures above the T_m at which point it recovers to its remembered processed shape. The incorporation of disulfide bonds, which become dynamic/reversible upon exposure to light or elevated temperatures, into these networks results in them being structurally dynamic upon exposure to the appropriate stimulus. Thus, by activating this disulfide exchange, the network reorganizes, and the material can flow and exhibit healable properties. Furthermore, exposure to light also allows the film's permanent "remembered" shape to be reprogrammed. Shape-memory experiments on these films show high degrees of both fixing and recovery (>95%), and photohealing experiments showed that the films were able to recover from a scratch whose depth is approximately half the thickness of the film. Using a combination of the thermal shape-memory behavior followed by photohealing allows wide scratches to also be efficiently healed.

Self-healing hyperbranched poly(aroyltriazole)s

The research on self-healing polymers has been a hot topic. The encapsulated-monomer/catalyst, supramolecular self-assembly, and reversible or dynamic covalent bond formation are the prevailingly adopted strategies. The alternative of irreversible covalent bond formation is, however, to be further developed. In this contribution, self-healing hyperbranched poly(aroyltriazole)s of PI and PII sharing such mechanism were developed. The polymers were synthesized by our developed metal-free click polymerizations of bis(aroylacetylene)s and triazide. They are processible and have excellent film-forming ability. High quality homogeneous films and sticks free from defects could be obtained by casting. The scratched films could be self-repaired upon general heating. The cut films and sticks could be healed by stacking or pressing the halves together at elevated temperature. Thus, these hyperbranched polymers could find broad applications in diverse areas, and our design concept for self-healing materials should be generally applicable to other hyperbranched polymers with reactive groups on their peripheries.