Self-Healing Performance of ESOF-Ix Materials: A Case Study of ESOF-I1.0

The deterioration of adhesive performance is often attributed to internal cracks, which present challenges in terms of timely detection and repair. This leads to diminished mechanical performance, reduced service life, and restricted application range for materials. Consequently, the prompt repair of cracks, particularly through the realization of self-healing in materials, holds significant importance for optimizing material utilization efficiency. Self-healing materials possess the ability to perceive external environmental changes and respond accordingly, ultimately restoring their inherent performance. These materials represent a widely applicable and highly sought-after category of intelligent materials. ESOF-Ix materials are expected to exhibit intrinsic self-healing characteristics due to the incorporation of Diels-Alder bonds. To assess the self-healing capability, ESOF-I1.0 was utilized as a representative case and intentionally subjected to scratching, creating a surface crack. Following this, the material was heated at 130℃ for varying durations. As illustrated in Figure 5, the crack gradually diminished with increasing heating time, showcasing exceptional self-healing performance. This phenomenon can be attributed to the reversibility of Diels-Alder bonds at elevated temperatures, leading to the disruption of the cross-linked network structure and enhanced mobility of the chains. This increased mobility allows the chains to migrate between the two interfaces of the scratch. Upon cooling, the Diels-Alder bonds reform, but due to the altered relative positions of the chains, the cross-linked network structure is reconstructed, effectively repairing the scratch.