SbF5-loaded microcapsules for ultrafast self-healing of polymer

To accelerate self-healing speed of epoxy materials, epoxy-SbF5 cure was introduced into the healing chemistry. Due to the high activity of SbF5, a milder SbF5-ethanol complex with improved processability was prepared, but it was still quite active and cannot be encapsulated by conventional encapsulation techniques like in situ polymerization. Accordingly, a novel route was proposed. Hollow silica microcapsules were firstly synthesized via sol–gel technique, which were then steeped in ethanol solution of SbF5-ethanol complex under vacuum, allowing infiltration of the latter into the capsules. The optimal formulation for creating the hollow silica capsules was studied in detail. Moreover, the results of optical pyrometry demonstrated that the encapsulated chemical retained its high reactivity toward the epoxy.

Graphical abstractHighly active SbF5-ethanol complex was successfully microencapsulated by using hollow capsules coupled with infiltration.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide