Multifunctional autonomically healing composite material

• US 6,858,659 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2002
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: Brown, Eric N., Moore, Jeffrey S., White, Scott R., Sottos, Nancy R., Sriram, Suresh R., Kessler, Michael R., Geubelle, Philippe H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Seidleck, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asinovsky, Olga
• Application Number:
  US10/280,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 523/200, 523/205, 428/402, 428/402.21
• 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: B29D 2030/0689 by incorporating the sealant into a plurality of chambers, e.g. bags, cells, tubes or closed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0685 Incorporating auto-repairing or self-sealing arrangements or agents on or into tyres auto-repairing or self-sealing arrangements or agents B29C73/16; puncture preventing arrangements B60C19/12
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 11/00 Use of ingredients of unknown constitution, e.g. undefined reaction products
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/01 Hydrocarbons C08K5/0091 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/101 of monocarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 9/10 Encapsulated ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2207/53 Core-shell polymer
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/003 grafted on to macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds C08L51/04, C08L51/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/08 grafted on to macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/65 macromolecular C09D7/41-C09D7/48 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/67 Particle size smaller than 100 nm
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/68 Particle size between 100-1000 nm
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/69 Particle size larger than 1000 nm
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/70 characterised by shape, e.g. fibres, flakes or microspheres
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2985 Solid-walled microcapsule from synthetic polymer

Abstract

A composite material, contains a polymer, a polymerizer, a corresponding catalyst for the polymerizer, and a plurality of capsules. The polymerizer is in the capsules. The composite material is self-healing.

Claims

1. A composite material, comprising:

(i) a polymer,

(ii) a polymerizer,

(iii) a corresponding catalyst for the polymerizer, and

(iv) a plurality of capsules,

wherein the polymerizer is in the capsules.

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

3. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyesters and polyethers.

4. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the corresponding catalyst for the polymerizer comprises a ROMP catalysts.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the capsules comprise a polymer of urea and formaldehyde, gelatin, polyurea, and polyamide.

14. A method for making the composite of claim 1, comprising:

dispersing the capsules and the corresponding catalyst into the polymer.

8. A composite material, comprising:

(i) a polymer,

(ii) a polymerizer,

(ill) a corresponding activator for the polymerizer, and

(iv) a first plurality of capsules, wherein

the polymerizer is in the capsules,

the polymerizer comprises a monomer and a first part of a two-part catalyst, and

the corresponding activator is a second part of the two-part catalyst.

9. The composite material of claim 8, further comprising a second plurality of capsules, wherein said activator is in the second plurality of capsules.

10. The composite material of claim 8, wherein the polymer comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyesters, polycarbonates, polyethers, polyimides, phenol-formaldehyde resins, amine-formaldehyde resins, polysulfones, poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), polyurethanes, polyolefins, and polysilanes.

11. The composite material of claim 8, wherein the polymer comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyesters and polyethers.

12. The composite material of claim 8, wherein the capsules have an aspect ratio of 1:

1 to 1;

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

13. The composite material of claim 8, wherein the capsules comprise a polymer of urea and formaldehyde, gelatin, polyurea, and polyamide.

15. A method for making the composite of claim 8, comprising:

dispersing the capsules and the corresponding activator into the polymer.