Poly(methyl methacrylate) as Healing Agent for Carbon Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Abstract

Self-healing materials offer a potential solution to the problem of damage to fibre-reinforced plastics (FRPs) by allowing for the in-service repair of composite materials at a lower cost, in less time, and with improved mechanical properties compared to traditional repair methods. This study investigates for the first time the use of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a self-healing agent in FRPs and evaluates its effectiveness both when blended with the matrix and when applied as a coating to carbon fibres. The self-healing properties of the material are evaluated using double cantilever beam (DCB) tests for up to three healing cycles. The blending strategy does not impart a healing capacity to the FRP due to its discrete and confined morphology; meanwhile, coating the fibres with the PMMA results in healing efficiencies of up to 53% in terms of fracture toughness recovery. This efficiency remains constant, with a slight decrease over three subsequent healing cycles. It has been demonstrated that spray coating is a simple and scalable method of incorporating a thermoplastic agent into an FRP. This study also compares the healing efficiency of specimens with and without a transesterification catalyst and finds that the catalyst does not increase the healing efficiency, but it does improve the interlaminar properties of the material.

Self‐healing characteristics of superabsorbent polymers in epoxy coating for corrosion inhibition of carbon steels

“…Compared to other studies that investigated the use of SAP in coatings, the particle size of the SAP used for this study has a wide distribution and is on the larger end (Figure 1). 9,11,12 Figure 2 shows the FE-SEM images of the SAP and it can be observed that the particles have compact grains, irregular morphology, and observable cracks at 30,000Â magnification, which are characteristics of SAPs comminuted in a grinder. 15,16…”

“…The most recent study regarding the use of SAP in self-healing coating is by Peñas-Caballero et al 12 where they investigated the application of superabsorbent polymers in epoxy coating and studied the performance at the macro, micro, and sub-microscales using localized electrochemical techniques in saline solution. SAP of 10 wt% is mixed with the epoxy and the location of SAP in the coating is then varied on the surface, middle, and bottom of the coating.…”

Intrinsic and extrinsic self‐healing fiber‐reinforced polymer composites: A review

“…The results of interlaminar shear test showed that although the addition of EMAA reduced the interlaminar shear strength of the composite, a healing efficiency of 109% was achieved after heating. Interestingly, Peñas-Caballero et al 81 have recently innovatively sprayed carbon fiber surfaces with EMAA. The advantages of this treatment included a marginal impact on the mechanical properties of CFRP and a significant improvement in the interlaminar fracture toughness by 260%, alongside a high healing efficiency of over 40%.…”

Feasibility of Repairing Concrete with Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fiber Cloth: A Comprehensive Literature Review

“…Excessive cracking increases the possibility of structural damage, making innovative solutions for repair and reinforcement necessary [3][4][5][6][7][8]. Traditional repair methods are limited in their ability to meet the requirements of modern engineering practices, prompting the search for novel approaches to address the challenges posed by deteriorating concrete [9][10][11][12][13].…”