Microencapsulated cardanol derived benzoxazines for self-healing applications

Benzoxazine (Bz) monomer was synthesized from renewable cardanol, a by-product from cashew-nut industry, using a solventless approach. The monomer was encapsulated in poly(styrene) (PS) shells by solvent evaporation technique to obtain spherical microcapsules. The microcapsule dimensions and core content could be tailored by optimizing the operating parameters, particularly stirring speed and PS concentration. Successful demonstration of this simple and versatile methodology widens the scope for large-scale application of benzoxazines in the field of self-healing. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.