Self-healing phenomena in polymers based on the theory of porous media

Self-healing phenomena in polymers based on the theory of porous media

Specht, S.
Bluhm, J.
Schröder, J.

2013-06-16

Self healing materials are becoming more and more important for the construction of mechanical components due to their ability to detect and heal failures as well as cracks autonomously. Especially in polymers and polymer-composites, where the component can loose a high rate of strength and durability due to micro cracks, those damages are nearly impossible to repair from outside. Thus, self healing ability is a very effective approach to extend the lifetime of polymer-made components. In view of the numerical simulation of such self healing effects we consider the microencapsulation approach [1] and develop a thermodynamically consistent macroscopic 5-phase model within the framework of the Theory of Porous Media (TPM) [2]. The model consists of the following different phases: solid, liquid, healed material, gas, and catalysts. The increase of damage, which is represented by the gas phase, is driven by a damage evolution equation. Furthermore, a mass exchange between the liquid-like healing agents and the solid-like healed material, i.e., the change of the aggregate state from liquid healing to solid healed material, describes the healing process. The onset of the healing process is associated with the break open of the microcapsules in connection with the subsequent motion of the liquid healing agents. Numerical examples of the simulation of healing processes in polymers and polymer-composites are presented in order to show the applicability of the model.

multiphase systems
theory of porous media
phase transition
healing processes

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:889bfddf-82f0-45e8-a6c8-e7c6df060c66

Conference proceedings

conference paper

(c) 2013 Specht, S.; Bluhm, J.; Schröder, J.