An extensive review of the repair behavior of smart self-healing polymer matrix composites

Self-healing material is a material that repairs microcracks spontaneously without any external interference. Based on self-healing methods, there are two main categories for these smart materials such as intrinsic and non-intrinsic. In the intrinsic repairing system, the repair is done in the form of physical, chemical, and supermolecular reactions. In the non-intrinsic system, the factor of repair is stored inside compartments such as hollow fibers, microvascular networks, and microcapsules. The current research tries to investigate the recent developments in the field of non-intrinsic repair systems with an emphasis on their use in polymer composites, especially during the years 2009 until now. In this review, the need for composite repair, the concept of self-healing, a variety of non-intrinsic repair methods, evaluation of repair performance in various mechanical tests, and also statistical reports and evolution related to self-healing have been presented.

Automated summary

Self-healing materials have the ability to repair microcracks spontaneously without external interference. They can be classified into intrinsic and non-intrinsic categories based on the methods of repair. In intrinsic systems, the repair is achieved through physical, chemical, and supermolecular reactions, while in non-intrinsic systems, the repair factor is stored in compartments such as hollow fibers, microvascular networks, and microcapsules. This review focuses on the recent developments in non-intrinsic repair systems in polymer composites since 2009, covering the need for composite repair, the concept of self-healing, various non-intrinsic repair methods, evaluation of repair performance in mechanical tests, and statistical reports and evolution related to self-healing.