Multi-stimuli triggered self-healing of the conductive shape memory polymer composites
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to exploit shape-memory polymers as self-healable materials. The underlying mechanism involved the thermal transitions as well as the enrichment of the healing reagents and the closure of the crack surfaces due to shape recovery. The multi-stimuli-triggered shape memory composite was capable of self-healing under not only direct thermal but also electrical stimulations.
Design/methodology/approach
The shape memory epoxy polymer composites comprising the AgNWs and poly (ε-caprolactone) were fabricated by dry transfer process. The morphologies of the composites were investigated by the optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrical conduction and the Joule heating effect were measured. Furthermore, the healing efficiency under the different stimuli was calculated, whose dependence on the compositions was also discussed.
Findings
The AgNWs network maintained most of the pathways for the electrons transportation after the dry transfer process, leading to a superior conduction and flexibility. Consequently, the composites could trigger the healing within several minutes, as applied with relatively low voltages. It was found that the composites having more the AgNWs content had better electrically triggered performance, while 50 per cent poly (ε-caprolactone) content endowed the materials with max healing efficiency under thermal or electrical stimuli.
Research limitations/implications
The findings may greatly benefit the application of the intelligent polymers in the fields of the multifunctional flexible electronics.
Originality/value
Most studies have by far emphasized on the direct thermal triggered cases. Herein, a novel, flexible and conductive shape memory-based composite, which was capable of self-healing under the thermal or electrical stimulations, has been proposed.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2015M580709), Pearl River (Guangzhou) of Nova in Science and Technology (2014J2200090), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11772108), for providing financial support.
Citation
Luo, H., Zhou, X., Xu, Y., Wang, H., Yao, Y., Yi, G. and Hao, Z. (2018), "Multi-stimuli triggered self-healing of the conductive shape memory polymer composites", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 47 No. 1, pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1108/PRT-03-2017-0032
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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