UV-Blocking Coating with Self-Healing Capacity

UV-blocking coatings are necessary to protect materials from photochemical degradation, especially for organic polymers. And self-healing capacity is necessary to ensure the service time of UV-blocking coatings. Here, an UV-blocking coating (denoted as beta CD-TiO2/P(HEMA-co-BA)) with self-healing capacity is prepared successfully by copolymerizing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), butyl acrylate (BA) and functional monomers, inclusion complexes of beta-cyclodextrin (beta CD)-modified TiO2 nanoparticles, and hydroxyethyl methacrylate-adamantine (HEMA-Ad). The beta CD-TiO2/P(HEMA-co-BA) coating not only shows excellent UV-blocking property but also enhances mechanical properties and good self-healing properties. After being damaged, beta CD-TiO2/P(HEMA-co-BA) can repair scratches by adding a little water, and the UV-blocking capacity can be restored completely along with the self-healing process. Furthermore, the self-healing process is repeatable at a given place.