'Bleeding composites' - damage detection and self-repair using a biomimetic approach

The aim of this study is to develop a novel composite system which employs a biomimetic approach to perform a self-repairing function. Such a system can perform two functions; the visual enhancement of impact damage by the bleeding action of a highly conspicuous medium such as fluorescent dye, and the restoration of mechanical properties by a healing agent, stored within hollow fibres, infiltrating the damaged area and acting to ameliorate the effect of the damage. Impact indentation followed by four-point bend flexural testing was conducted to evaluate the strength restoration after self-repair. The results of mechanical testing have shown that a significant fraction (similar to97%) of strength is restored by the self-repairing effect. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.