Self-Healing Fiber-Reinforced Composites with Tailored Supramolecular Matrices

Fiber Reinforced Composites (FRCs), due to their intrinsic heterogeneity, are generally affected by complex multi-scale failure mechanisms leading to the formation of matrix cracks that are difficult to detect and repair. FRCs with the ability to heal and recover at least part of their initial properties after damage could present a solution to extend their lifetime and reliability. A possible approach is to introduce external healing agents in the matrix of the composite, through capsules or micro-channels, but this is often difficult to achieve in a high volume fraction reinforcement composite. An alternative approach is to rely on intrinsic self-healing polymers as matrices, which alleviates the need for additional phases beyond matrix and reinforcement. The present work investigated this second approach, by exploring for the first time the feasibility of processing glass fabric reinforced composites based on supramolecular hybrid network self-healing matrices and analysing their resulting properties and transfer of the self-healing ability to the composite. Hybrid networks based on epoxy chemistry, combining covalent cross-links and cooperative reversible hydrogen bonds, were selected as benchmark materials. These systems were charac- terized, in particular in terms of processing parameters and self-healing ability, and showed to be a-priori compatible with FRCs manufacturing techniques and demonstrated higher healing efficiency by increasing the H-bonds content in the polymer network, from none to 50%. On the other hand, networks characterized by large number of physical cross-links exhibited limited solvent and creep resistance, hindering their potential application. These issues were addressed by modifying the average functionality of the monomers through the combination of bifunctional and tetrafunctional epoxy resins in the compositions while keeping the use of a catalyst, leading to better controlled networks, both in terms of kinetics and final structure, and to propose a range of materials with several levels of compromise between self-healing efficiency, mechanical strength, creep resistance, and damping properties. In particular, 50% to 100% self-healing recovery of tensile properties were observed after one day, depending on the tetraepoxide content. In parallel, since the Tg of benchmark supramolecular hybrid net- works was in the range from 11-16 â ŠC, an aliphatic diepoxide was introduced in the synthetic procedure to propose materials with a Tg down to -10 â ŠC, to reach applications closer to those of elastomers. In view of FRCs development, the ability of partially supramolecular self-healing polymers to bond to inorganic reinforcements and to heal interfacial failure was then investigated: two dedicated butt joint-like and tack-like test methods were developed. Adhesion strength of the polymers cured on glass substrates decreased with increasing H-bonds content in the polymer networks (from 0 to 50 %) as the mechanical stren