Self-healing polymers

• US 20060252852A1
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: White, Scott, Braun, Paul, Cho, Soo, Sottos, Nancy, Andersson, H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,612,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 523/200
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/163 Sealing compositions or agents, e.g. combined with propellant agents
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/22 the article containing elements including a sealing composition, e.g. powder being liberated when the article is damaged
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 291/00 Macromolecular compounds obtained by polymerising monomers on to macromolecular compounds according to more than one of the groups C08F251/00 - C08F289/00

Abstract

A composite material includes a polymer matrix, a polymerizer, and a plurality of capsules containing a corresponding activator for the polymerizer. The composite material can also include an adhesion promoter, and the polymerizer can be phase separated from the polymer matrix. The composite material can be made by dispersing the polymerizer and capsules into the polymer matrix. These composite materials can exhibit improved environmental stability, and can be used with a wider variety of activators.

Claims

1. A composite material, comprising:

a polymer matrix;

a polymerizer; and

a plurality of capsules comprising a corresponding activator for the polymerizer.

2. The composite material of claim 1, further comprising an adhesion promoter.

3. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the polymerizer is phase separated from the polymer.

4. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the polymerizer comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of acrylates, alkylacrylates, styrenes, isoprene, butadiene, olefins, cyclic olefins, vinyl ethers, epoxides, lactones, lactams, and functionalized siloxanes.

5. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the polymerizer comprises at least one functionalized siloxane.

6. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the corresponding activator is a catalyst.

7. The composite material of claim 6, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of ROMP catalysts, cyclic ester polymerization catalysts, amines, and metal salts.

8. The composite material of claim 6, wherein the catalyst comprises a metal, the metal selected from the group consisting of lead, tin, zirconium, antimony, iron, cadmium, calcium, barium, manganese, bismuth and titanium.

9. The composite material of claim 6, wherein the catalyst comprises a tin salt.

10. The composite material of claim 9, wherein the tin salt is a salt of a carboxylic acid.

11. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyesters, polycarbonates, polyethers, epoxy polymers, epoxy vinyl ester polymers, polyimides, phenol-formaldehyde polymers, amine-formaldehyde polymers, polysulfones, poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), polyurethanes, polyolefins, polyacrylates, poly(alkylacrylates) and polysilanes.

12. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix comprises an epoxy vinyl ester polymer.

13. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the capsules are hollow.

14. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the capsules are particles.

15. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the capsules have an aspect ratio of 1:

1 to 1;

2, and an average diameter of 10 nm to 1 mm.

29. A method of making the composite material of claim 1, comprising:

dispersing the polymerizer and the capsules into the polymer matrix.

16. A composite material, comprising:

a polymer matrix;

an adhesion promoter;

a polymerizer, phase separated from the polymer matrix; and

a plurality of capsules comprising a corresponding activator for the polymerizer.

17. The composite material of claim 16, wherein the polymerizer comprises at least one functionalized siloxane.

18. The composite material of claim 17, wherein the polymerizer comprises a mixture of HOPDMS and PDES.

30. A method of making the composite material of claim 16, comprising:

combining the polymer matrix and the adhesion promoter; and

dispersing the polymerizer and the capsules into the polymer matrix;

wherein the polymerizer is phase separated from the polymer matrix in the composite material.

19-28. -28. (canceled)