In-situ photo-polymerized self-healing film : colorless, transparent and high mechanical strength through alicyclic structure

Abstract

Self-healing materials can spontaneously repair a damage by themselves without external stimuli. In the self-healing hydrogel, water was essentially used to exhibit self-healing properties. Recently, The limitations of this hydrogel have recently been overcome by self-healing films using photo-polymerization methods through the addition of polyhydric alcohol molecules. It can replace a chemical cross-link with a physical cross-link for increasing mobility of self-healing moieties. However, it has low mechanical strength and its self-healing ability is suppressed because of the densest phase. Herein, we introduce a novel monomer having alicyclic moieties that creates an inner-space by steric hindrance and improves a mechanical strength. As a results, The polymer exhibits self-healing efficiency of 90 % and scratch recovery within 40 seconds through improved mobility of self-healing moieties at room temperature and tensile strength of 5.98 MPa due to the rigid cyclic structure. Moreover, It can be made of a transparent film of 98 % through photo-polymerization. It is expected to be applied for optical, electronic devices and coating industrials.