Effect of the Dianhydride/Branched Diamine Ratio on the Architecture and Room Temperature Healing Behavior of Polyetherimides

Traditional polyetherimides (PEIs) are commonly synthesized from an aromatic diamine and an aromatic dianhydride (e.g., 3,4′-oxidianiline (ODA) and 4,4′-oxidiphtalic anhydride (ODPA)) leading to the imide linkage and outstanding chemical, thermal and mechanical properties yet lacking any self-healing functionality. In this work, we have replaced...

Reinforcement and healing of asphalt mixtures by rejuvenator encapsulation in alginate compartmented fibres

This paper explores the potential use of compartmented alginate fibres as a new method of incorporating rejuvenators into asphalt pavement mixtures. The compartmented fibres are employed to locally distribute the rejuvenator and to overcome the problems associated with spherical capsules and hollow fibres. The work presents proof of concept of...

Self-Healing Corrosion Protective Sol-Gel Coatings

Inspired by the state of the art and the recent advances in the field of self-healing corrosion protective coatings, the thesis entitled “Self-healing corrosion protective sol-gel coatings” addresses novel routes to self-healing corrosion protective sol-gel coatings via extrinsic and intrinsic healing approaches. The employed approaches aim at...

Towards self-healing creep resistant steels

We report the main findings of our work on the behaviour of binary Fe-Cu and Fe-Au model alloys designed to explore routes to create new creep resistant steels having an in-built ability to autonomously fill creep induced porosity at grain boundaries. The alloying elements were selected on the basis of their ability to be brought in...

Induction healing of concrete reinforced by bitumen-coated steel fibres

Cracking in concrete structures compromises the durability and functionality of the structures themselves. Different kinds of self-healing concretes, less or more sophisticated, have been developed in the past ten years to overcome early cracks in structures. An experimental study of a novel self-healing concrete is presented. Bitumen, used as...

Demonstrating the self-healing behaviour of some selected ceramics under combustion chamber conditions

Closure of surface cracks by self-healing of conventional and MAX phase ceramics under realistic turbulent combustion chamber conditions is presented. Three ceramics namely; Al₂O₃, Ti₂AlC and Cr₂AlC are investigated. Healing was achieved in Al₂O₃ by even dispersion of TiC...

Healing of Early Stage Fatigue Damage in Ionomer/Fe₃O₄ Nanoparticle Composites

This work reports on the healing of early stage fatigue damage in ionomer/nano-particulate composites. A series of poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) zinc ionomer/Fe3O4 nanoparticle composites with varying amounts of ionic clusters were developed and subjected to different levels of fatigue loading. The initiated damage was healed upon localized...