Room Temperature Self-Healing Thermoset Based on the Diels-Alder Reaction

A self-healing epoxy-amine thermoset based on the compatible functionalization of the thermoset and encapsulated healing agent has been successfully developed. Healing of the thermoset resulted from the reaction of furans in the thermoset and multimaleimides (MMIs) in the healing agent solution. The healing agent, MMI dissolved in phenyl acetate, was encapsulated using a urea-formaldehyde encapsulation method. Autonomic healing of the thermoset was achieved by incorporating microcapsules filled with the healing agent solution within a furan-functionalized epoxy-amine thermoset. The resulting self-healing thermoset recovered 71% of its initial load after fracture.