Diels-Alder modified self-healing melamine resin

The self-healing effect of melamine-based surfaces, triggered by temperature, was investigated. The temperature triggered reversible healing chemistry, on which the self-healing effect is based, was the Diels-Alder (DA) reaction between furan and maleimide groups. Melamine-furan containing building blocks were connected by multi-functional maleimide crosslinker via a Diels-Alder (DA) reaction to give a DA adduct. The DA adduct was then reacted with formaldehyde to form a network by conventional condensation reaction of melamine amino groups with formaldehyde. The obtained resin was characterised and used for the impregnation of paper. Impregnated papers and neat resin were used to perform scratch-healing tests and mechanical analysis of the novel coating system.