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The Effect of Two-Way Shape Memory on the Healing of Poly (Ethylene-Co-Methacrylic Acid) and Polybutadiene Blend

EMMANUEL IGBOKWE, SAMUEL IBEKWE, PATRICK MENSAH, GUOGIANG LI, CHINMEN DAVID

Abstract


Development in self-healing materials and smart composites has continuously improved for many decades and has given rise to many real-life applications with implications for engineering materials, structures, and human beings who rely on these technological innovations to further human endeavor. This study involves the use of intrinsic selfhealing ability of poly (ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) thermoplastic, known by its commercial name as Surlyn 9520©, and combined two-way shape memory effect with Di cumyl-peroxide (DCP) cross-linked polybutadiene elastomer to achieve crack narrowing and closure with subsequent healing of the polymer blend surface. The simple batch mixing process resulted in an immiscible yet compatible blend, determined by two distinct melting peaks from DSC characterization and FTIR spectroscopy analysis. Different blends ratios of 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, 50/50 were investigated and characterized. However, the 80/20 blend was chosen to demonstrate the significance of the two-way shape memory effect, where a material experiences elongation upon cooling and contraction upon heating to achieve crack closure and effectual healing. Two sets of samples were studied; control Sample known as 2A and 2B samples were one time programmed to about 300% strain. Self-healing, which is a function of the poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic) acid component of the blend, was established for both sets of specimens. The flexural properties from three-point bending test indicate that although both sets of samples achieved good healing efficiencies, the 2B programmed samples displayed better healing efficiencies than the control by 30%.


DOI
10.12783/asc37/36419

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