SELF-HEALING ELASTOMER SYSTEM

• US 20070282059A1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: Sottos, Nancy R., White, Scott R., Keller, Michael W
• Granted Patent: US 7,569,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 524/588
• 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: B29L 2030/00 Pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof conveyor belts B29L2031/7092; drive belts B29L2031/7094; fourdrinier belts B29L2031/733
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 77/16 to hydroxyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2383/04 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/241 Preventing premature crosslinking by physical separation of components, e.g. encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 101/00 Compositions of unspecified macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 83/00 Compositions of macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming in the main chain of the macromolecule a linkage containing silicon with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen or carbon only; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 83/04 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2985 Solid-walled microcapsule from synthetic polymer

Abstract

A composite material includes an elastomer matrix, a set of first capsules containing a polymerizer, and a set of second capsules containing a corresponding activator for the polymerizer. The polymerizer may be a polymerizer for an elastomer. The composite material may be prepared by combining a first set of capsules containing a polymerizer, a second set of capsules containing a corresponding activator for the polymerizer, and a matrix precursor, and then solidifying the matrix precursor to form an elastomeric matrix.

Claims

1. A composite material, comprising:

an elastomer matrix;

a plurality of first capsules comprising a polymerizer; and

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

2. The composite material of claim 1, where the elastomer matrix comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of elastomer polymers, copolymer elastomers, block copolymer elastomers and polymer blend elastomers.

3. The composite material of claim 1, where the elastomer matrix comprises a polysiloxane.

4. The composite material of claim 3, where the elastomer matrix comprises poly(dimethyl siloxane).

5. The composite material of claim 1, where the elastomer matrix comprises a first elastomer, and the polymerizer comprises a polymerizer for a second elastomer.

6. The composite material of claim 5, where the first elastomer has a chemical structure different from the chemical structure of the second elastomer.

7. The composite material of claim 5, where the first elastomer has a chemical structure identical to the chemical structure of the second elastomer.

8. The composite material of claim 1, where the polymerizer comprises a polymerizer for a polysiloxane.

9. The composite material of claim 8, where the polymerizer comprises a polymerizer for poly(dimethyl siloxane).

10. The composite material of claim 1, where the corresponding activator is a catalyst.

11. The composite material of claim 1, where at least one of the first capsules and the second capsules have an aspect ratio of 1:

1 to 1;

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

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

13. A composite material, comprising:

an elastomer matrix comprising a first polysiloxane;

a plurality of first capsules comprising a polymerizer for a second polysiloxane; and

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

14. The composite material of claim 13, where the first polysiloxane comprises poly(dimethyl siloxane).

15. The composite material of claim 13, where the polymerizer is selected from the group consisting of a siloxane monomer and a functionalized siloxane.

16. The composite material of claim 13, where the polymerizer comprises a mixture of HOPDMS and PDES.

17. The composite material of claim 13, where the polymerizer comprises a polymerizer for poly(dimethyl siloxane).

18. The composite material of claim 17, where the first polysiloxane comprises poly(dimethyl siloxane).

19. The composite material of claim 13, where the corresponding activator comprises a catalyst selected from the group consisting of amines and metal salts.

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. A method of making a composite material, comprising:

combining ingredients comprising

a plurality of first capsules comprising a polymerizer,

a plurality of second capsules comprising a corresponding activator for the polymerizer, and

a matrix precursor; and

solidifying the matrix precursor to form an elastomeric matrix.

23-30. -30. (canceled)