Self-Healing of Thermoplastics via Living Polymerization

Self-healing of thermoplastics via living polymerization has been reported. Autonomic self-healing polymers can be made by incorporating fluidic healant-loaded vessels. Living polymerization is a process in which chain transfer and termination are removed. It proves to be very useful in obtaining various types of tailor-made polymers with finely controlled molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. Living PMMA was synthesized at 25°C by using ethyl 2-bromo - isobutyrate (EBiB) as initiator and cuprous bromide (CuBr) as catalyst. It indicates that the polymerization is a first-order reaction with respect to monomer, while the concentration of the growing radicals remains constant. The PMMA deried from ATRP can initiate polymerization of proper monomers whenever the monomers come into contact with the living polymer. Such a healing system helps to build up chemical bonding from the cracked planes and does not need the addition of catalyst in a polymeric matrix and manual intervention as well.