Nickel(II)-Polysiloxane “Sandwiches” as Electrical Breakdown Protective Materials

Abstract

Self-healing materials are an essential emerging class of smart materials, capable of repairing their damage after external stimuli, especially mechanical damages. However, the lack of studies on self-healing polymers after electrical breakdown is highly important for electrical engineering and electronics. We propose to use a nickel­(II)-2,6-pyridinedicarboxamide-co-polydimethylsiloxane complex (NiPyPDMS) as an electrical breakdown protective material. To provide the absence of dust deposition from ambient air and to increase durability, we fabricated multilayered polymer “sandwiches” consisting of a NiPyPDMS layer covered with two films (polypropylene (PP) or polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)) on both sides. Multilayered PP-NiPyPDMS-PP and PDMS-NiPyPDMS-PDMS films exhibit autonomous self-healing properties (up to 75%) after electrical breakdown at room temperature. NiPyPDMS demonstrates 3.7 times higher adhesion to copper, from which power lines are made, compared to PDMS. NiPyPDMS also exhibits antistatic and redox properties (NiII/NiIII transformations when electricity is applied). All characteristics mentioned above lead to reduce the probability of electrical breakdown via electrical charge dissipation in self-healing coating on possible power lines.

Self-Healing Silicone Materials: Looking Back and Moving Forward

“…In general, silicone rubbers with SH ability have broad applications in nanotechnology, optoelectronics, biomedicine, soft robotics and human activity [ 11 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Various protective coatings with a long service life [ 9 , 26 , 27 , 53 , 54 , 110 , 120 , 125 , 139 , 144 , 145 ], electromagnetic shielding films [ 57 , 99 ], triboelectric nanogenerators [ 126 , 130 ], sensors and skin-inspired electronics [ 49 , 101 , 118 , 124 , 127 , 129 , 131 , 134 , 136 , 141 , 143 , 144 , 146 , 147 , 148 , 149 ], actuators and artificial muscles [ 8 , 44 , 66 , 107 , 118 , 126 , 147 , 148 , 150 ], separating membranes [ 151 ], liquid crystals [ 152 ], and flexible and stretchable luminescent and electroluminescent devices […”

“…SHSMs create more potential to increase the service life and reliability of protective coatings. Thus, SH silicone rubbers based on the covalent and non-covalent reversible interactions (imine, disulfide, boroxine, carbamate, hydrogen, ionic and coordination bonds) were utilized to prepare various types of protection coatings, including anticorrosion films [ 53 , 54 , 110 , 120 , 125 , 139 , 144 ], antifouling and antimicrobial coatings [ 20 , 100 , 104 , 106 , 120 , 145 ], insulators [ 44 , 60 , 154 ], films with SH ability after electrical breakdown [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 60 , 61 , 108 ], anti-icing [ 121 ], and superhydrophobic coatings [ 26 , 52 , 119 , 155 ]. Thus, there are no specific formulas related to protective coatings, as the composition and properties of the coating will vary depending on the specific application.…”

“…Synthetic polymer materials are the most promising to create materials with a SH ability [ 1 , 2 ]. SH polymer materials can partially or entirely restore their original characteristics after mechanical damage (for example, formed (micro)cracks, scratches, cuts and ruptures [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]) or electrical damage (electrical breakdown, cracks and treeing [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]) is caused to them ( Figure 1 ). The guiding principles for creating those materials can be found in the SH behavior for various biological systems [ 1 , 2 ], which includes a triggered actuation, transport of chemical agents and/or diffusion of polymer chains to the damage, and chemical repair process dependent on healing mechanism [ 1 ].…”

“… Demonstration of SH in SHSMs after mechanical damage [ 19 , 20 ] ( a ) and an electrical breakdown [ 9 ] ( b ). Reprinted with permission from [ 19 ].…”

“…Copyright 2021, American Chemical Society. Reprinted with permission from [ 9 ]. Copyright 2023, American Chemical Society.…”